In the ongoing legal battle surrounding Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment, one of Gachagua’s lawyers, Kibe Mungai, has raised concerns about the impartiality of the judicial process, citing a close personal relationship between Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Justice Antony Mrima, one of the judges overseeing the case.
Kibe claimed that the friendship between Speaker Kingi and Justice Mrima could compromise the fairness of the impeachment proceedings. As evidence of their close relationship, the lawyer presented a photo showing Kingi attending Justice Mrima’s vow renewal ceremony. Kibe argued that this relationship raises serious doubts about the judge’s ability to remain neutral in the case.
Gachagua, alongside other petitioners, is now seeking to have the three-judge bench hearing the impeachment-related cases recuse themselves, citing concerns of bias. They argue that the perceived close connection between the judge and the Speaker may influence the outcome of the case, preventing Gachagua from receiving a fair trial.
Lawyer Mungai reinforced this argument, stating that the petitioners no longer have confidence that the current bench will deliver a just and impartial verdict on the matter.