MP wants Supreme Court judges to resign over Tunoi scandal

Cherangany Member of Parliament Wesley Korir has called for All Supreme Court judges to vacate office over the corruption allegations facing one of them, Justice Phillip Tunoi.

Korir said the Sh200 million bribe claim facing Justice Tunoi is far reaching, adding that Chief Justice Willy Mutunga should lead the way by resigning to allow for the highest court in the land to be reconstituted.

The Cherangany lawmaker noted that the recent happenings are causing Kenyans to lose faith with the judiciary and putting the credibility of the corridors of justice in jeopardy.

Korir’s sentiments came after the Judicial Service Commission asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to form a tribunal to probe the claims that Tunoi was bribed by Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero to influence his ruling on a poll petition filed against him at the Supreme Court by Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu.

The six member JSC committee led by Public Service Commission (PSC) chair Prof Margaret Kobia further indicated: “Whether or not there is material to suggest that a bribe was given to the Hon Justice Philip Tunoi in order to influence the decision in Supreme Court election petition No. 18/2014 Evans Odhiambo Kidero and four others -Vs – Ferdinand Waititu Ndungu and four others to favour the petitioner, the commission is satisfied that this is an issue that requires further investigations by the tribunal.”

Earlier Judge Tunoi maintained that the bribery allegations leveled against him are motivated by succession politics within the Judiciary.

In an exclusive interview with Citizen TV last week, Justice Tunoi said his accuser, Geoffrey Kiplagat, is being used by unnamed individuals who are keen on taking up his position as Judge of the Supreme Court.

“The bribery allegations levelled against me are motivated by the succession in the leadership of the Judiciary, pending the retirement of Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga and his deputy Kalpana Rawal,” he said.

Justice Tunoi also attributed the claims to efforts by people opposed to his push for an extension in his retirement age.

He said he had read both the old and the new constitution passed in 2010 and he is right to demand that he retires at the age of 74.