High Court Advocate Evans Ondieki has fired back at Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for attacking High Court Judge Esther Maina.
Last week, the second in command threatened to file a petition seeking the removal from office of the judge.
However, addressing the media on Monday, January 15, at the Milimani Law Courts, Ondieki equated Gachagua’s public rants against a High Court judge to childhood tantrums that do not befit a person of the caliber of the office he holds.
“Why should a deputy president react like a village boy? It justifies saying he came into office by mistake because he behaves rogue. There is no place for Gachagua in Kenya’s leadership if this is how he will be,” he said.
He termed Gachagua’s sustained fights against a High Court Judge as “defamatory and scandalous” adding that it was wrong for the deputy president to single out a judge in public.
Ondieki instead challenged Gachagua to file a complaint with the Judicial Service Commission and table evidence linking Judge Esther Maina to corruption.
“It’s unacceptable to attack a judicial officer and the judiciary with sensational remarks not backed by evidence. Justice Maina has a family and a career, and it is unfair that the DP just shouted her name and defamed her,” the agitated lawyer stated.
The advocate further emphasized the need for the country’s second-in-command to respect the rule of law and judicial officers.
“If he has any evidence he should submit it to JSC not to abuse a judicial officer. That is the most hardworking judicial officer that we know. Her integrity is beyond question,” Ondieki said.
