By Anderson Ojwang
Former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju has declared that only over his dead body will he lose his property after an auctioneer went to claim the facility.
He said the agents of a gentleman by the name of Chebet brought a fellow called Mr. Kiprop to take over the property.
“They had no court order and court papers. They just think they can come and intimidate me so that they can take over my property.
It is very simple what they have to do. They have to shoot me to get a big burial for me in Rarieda Constituency. I am sure my constituents will come to mourn. After I have been put into the grave, then they can come and take the property through such kind of impunity.
I am not going to take this kind of intimidation. It is very simple. They kill me first. I am not taking that kind of intimidation,” he said.
Tuju said the move was aimed at intimidating and blackmailing him into submission after some suspects were arrested at his premises for allegedly soliciting a Sh10.4 million bribe over a case in court.
Tuju said a judge made a ruling against him on Monday and that, according to the Constitution, he was already filing an appeal in court.
“I have a right to appeal. The 2010 Constitution gives me the right to appeal. You know there are corruption cases on this matter. People were arrested at my place because they were insisting that I must give them money to allegedly allow any appeal, any stay of execution and any status quo. I have already made an application,” he said.
On Monday, High Court Judge Josephine Mongare ruled that the matter was already settled, opening the door for recovery of the prime assets tied to a long-running debt.
Also on Monday, former High Court Judge Joseph Mutava and three other suspects were released on Sh200,000 cash bail each pending investigation into bribery claims.
The four, who also included a lawyer, spent Monday night in cells following their arrest by officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Officials said they will forward the outcome of the investigation to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review and possible charges.
Mutava looked tired when he walked out of the EACC cells on Tuesday morning.
They were each released on a bail of Sh200,000, officials said.
EACC on Monday arrested the former judge and advocate Kimani Wachira over an alleged bribery scheme linked to a commercial dispute currently before the High Court of Kenya.
Officials at the anti-graft agency confirmed that Mutava, Wachira and two other suspects were arrested following investigations into claims that they demanded a bribe of USD 80,000 (approximately Sh10.4 million).
According to the EACC, the money was allegedly solicited to influence the outcome of a commercial case involving a former Cabinet minister, which is currently pending before the High Court.
The four suspects were held at the EACC Integrity Centre Police Station in Nairobi as investigators finalized processing ahead of their expected arraignment on Tuesday.
The commission said the arrests follow increasing public and media inquiries regarding the matter, adding that investigations are ongoing.
EACC reiterated its commitment to combating corruption and safeguarding the integrity of the judiciary, warning that individuals found culpable will face the full force of the law.
Mutava was removed from office in 2016 following findings of gross misconduct and corruption, which were later upheld by the Supreme Court of Kenya.
