High court judge Said Juma Chitembwe has defended himself against allegations that he is involved with bribery.
This is after the former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko released a video on November 16, that linked the judge to the corrupt deals.
The video shared by Sonko, showed a man claimed to be Chitembwe’s brother receiving bribes on his behalf.
THE ROT IN THE KENYAN JUDICIARY
As a new page of impunity turns today in the history of Nairobi, this is just a trailer of a five-part series exposing the rot in the Kenyan Judiciary to be aired in various media local & international platforms #SonkoLeakshttps://t.co/aslgCAswDD pic.twitter.com/9drKXL5fXn— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) November 16, 2021
In an interview with KTN, Chitembwe said that the video had been edited just to frame him and imply that he was not fit to hold office.
According to him, the former governor had doctored the clip to fit a particular narrative.
“I have no problem. Let the videos go round because they are edited to fit a particular narrative. Some parts have been left. I knew about the existence of the videos in July and it was just a matter of when they would be out,” he said.
The judge further denied having blood ties with the man in the video saying that they only come from the same rural area.
“That man is not my brother, not my uncle and our parents are not related. However, I have known him for over 10 years because we both come from Kwale,” Chitembwe stated.
The judge said that the video was taken when a client , who wanted to purchase a piece of land from Sonko, approached him for advice to avoid being defrauded.
“He pleaded with me to allow him come to my house with the politician whom I had cut links with earlier. He was afraid he might be conned. I allowed the three of them to come to my house,” Chitembwe clarified.
“We were not trying to compromise any court case that day. They were pursuing appellants in a certain case, asking them to withdraw the matter for an out of court settlement,” he added.
Chitembwe furthers said that he had been in a good relationship with Sonko unti the petition challenging Anne Kannau’s swearing in was filed. He said that Sonko was taking his revenge after he approved the swearing in of Kananu as Nairobi’s governor.
“It is not a coincidence that the videos are released on the day of Anne Kananu’s swearing-in. He was angry the petition did not go through. He is on record asking why I dismissed the case yet I am his uncle. The videos were released out of anger.”
He asked those pushing for his ouster to follow the legal channels saying that he is ready to defend himself.
Sonko however went ahead to release another recording implying that the judge and his accomplices tried to frame Justice Muchelule.
“Rot in the Judiciary Part 2, Collaboration between Lawyer Cecil Miller, Amana Saidi Jirani (Justice Chitembwe’s Brother) and Justice Chitembwe implicating Justice Muchelule on corruption,” Sonko said on twitter.
Rot in the Judiciary Part 2, Collaboration between Lawyer Cecil Miller, Amana Saidi Jirani (Justice Chitembwe’s Brother) and Justice Chitembwe implicating Justice Muchelule on corruption. pic.twitter.com/vEPXSeTyCl
— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) November 17, 2021
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