Senior counsel James Orengo told journalists outside the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters that there was no real evidence against his client and it was simply politics at play/MIKE KARIUKI
Senior counsel James Orengo told journalists outside the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters that there was no real evidence against his client and it was simply politics at play.
“We are not just making idle statements. I think that when the show is put on the road from tomorrow we’ll be able to demonstrate that this has got nothing to do with the law, it is very much about what Kethi stands for,” Orengo said on Monday.
Orengo’s sentiments were shared by Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana who accused the governing Jubilee coalition of using the legal system to punish Kethi for refusing to vie for the Makueni Senate seat on their ticket.
“Knowing some of the information about this particular case, I can say as a lawyer; as a teacher of law (that) I really am still coming to terms with what is happening, for a legal point of view,” he said.
He said putting Kethi on trial for what he termed as “simply trying to be a leader,” would erode the political gains Kenya has made over the last few decades.
“Because what it means is that many young people like her will fear to venture into leadership because they don’t know what consequences might arise, and particularly for young ladies,” Kibwana protested.
Both Kibwana and Orengo spoke after Kethi reported to the CID headquarters in compliance to a court order issued by Lady Justice Lydia Achode, in order to have a statement and fingerprints taken.
It was the second time Kethi was at the CID offices in relation to her case and as they did the first time, her legal team denied that she recorded a statement although the CID counters that she did.
Kethi will appear before the magistrate court on Tuesday for the Director of Public Prosecutions to prefer charges against her on the recommendation of the CID.
And despite her legal team’s protests, the CID must have built a case against Kethi for them to recommend her prosecution following weeks of investigating how a slip from a booklet used to register only former President Mwai Kibaki fell into her hands.
The Jubilee coalition has also denied the accusation that they are out to persecute Kethi with The National Alliance’s legal representative Jasper Mbiuki stating that they were simply performing their civic duty by alerting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that Kethi was not a registered voter.
Kethi’s bid to contest the Makueni Senate seat by-election turned into a criminal matter when IEBC Director of Voter Registration revealed that the voter registration slip Kethi claimed as hers was one of six missing from the commission.
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