Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi has thrown a new twist to the Supreme Court bribery saga with claims that the sum involved was Sh300 million and not Sh200 million as reported earlier.
Abdullahi said via twitter on Saturday evening that the bribe “is not $2million(Sh200m). It is about $3m (Sh300m).”
He further claimed that Sh200 million was for four judges whereby two were paid separately.
Correction.the alleged bribe in Tunoi/Kidero is not 2 m dollar.It is about 3 m dollars.2 million was for 4 judges. 2 were paid separately
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi (@ahmednasirlaw) January 30, 2016
…I hear there is another affidavit…much older…and the money involved Kshs 8 million…accompanied by an audio recording…
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi (@ahmednasirlaw) January 31, 2016
A six-member committee of the Judicial Service Commission will on Monday start investigating claims that Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi received Sh200 million to deliver a favourable judgement in the Supreme Court election petition filed by Ferdinand Waititu against Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero in August 2014.
Both Tunoi and Kidero have denied the claims contained in an affidavit sworn by a former Kass FM journalist Geoffrey Kiplagat. The former journalist has claimed that he facilitated the payment.
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has promised thorough investigations into the matter.
On January 28, the National Intelligence Service confirmed that Judge Tunoi had conversations with his accuser Kiplagat.
NIS also confirmed that the two exchanged text messages using their numbers.
“It is true that those two were in communication at the times recorded in the affidavit,” a source familiar with the case confirmed to the Star.
From Monday, the JSC special committee chaired by Prof Margaret Kobia will be probing Tunoi’s conduct, look at the evidence gathered against him, call witnesses and summon him to defend himself before it can prepare a comprehensive report in seven days.
Other members of the special committee are the Attorney General, Prof Githu Muigai, Justice Aggrey Muchelule, Chief Magistrate (Makadara) Emily Ominde, Winnie Guchu and Kipkorir Bett, all of them commissioners of the JSC.
