Case against senior State officials referred to CJ

 SHARE BOOKMARKPRINTRATING

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga. Photo/File 

By NATION CORRESPONDENT
Posted  Saturday, November 10  2012 at  00:30

SHARE THIS STORY

A case seeking to have three senior government officials, among them Central Bank of Kenya governor, declared unfit to hold office has been referred to the Chief Justice for direction.

Lady Justice Roselyn Wendoh said the matter challenging the integrity of CBK governor, Prof Njuguna Ndung’u, Transport Minister Amos Kimunya and Finance permanent secretary Joseph Kinyua should be referred to the CJ because it touched on senior government officials.

Reading the judgment on behalf of Lady Justice Hellen Omondi, the judge said the case involved key State offices which dealt with policy issues touching on public funds and monetary policies and should therefore be referred to the CJ to constitute a bench of more than one judge to hear and determine the case.

Trusted Society for Human Rights and Awake Kenya moved to the High Court in Nakuru early this month seeking a declaration that the three were unfit to hold office over their involvement in a questionable money-printing deal with De LaRue in which more than Sh1.8 billion was lost.

The Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General are listed as respondents in the case and are accused of dishonesty in handling public funds.

Prof Ndungu’s lawyer, Mr Chacha Odera, had asked the court to certify that the matter required constitutional interpretation and should be referred to the CJ to constitute a three-judge bench to hear it.

In a petition filed through lawyer Gordon Ogola, the two lobbies said a detailed report by the PAC on the matter was not adopted.