Julie Gichuru’s Father-in-Law Gets Reprieve over Arrest

The High Court has extended orders stopping proceedings in an extradition case against the immediate former Nambale MP Chris Okemo and Citizen TV’s Julie Gichuru’s father-in-law and former Kenya Power CEO Samuel Gichuru.

The two had last week obtained orders stopping a magistrate’s court from continuing with the case, arguing that they would not get a fair hearing after the magistrate declined to refer the matter to the High Court for constitutional interpretation.

Mr. Justice Isaac Lenaola extended the orders to March 17 to give the DPP a chance to respond to objections raised by both Messrs Okemo and Gichuru. The two also opposed the Jersey extradition arguing that the process was defective as the Jersey Island had made a request to the Attorney General and not the DPP. They said the powers conferred on the AG should not have been delegated to the DPP.

Mr. Okemo and Mr. Gichuru also objected to the delay in the trial, saying it was an infringement of their rights as the court system in Jersey was different form the Kenyan one. They said the money allegedly laundered belonged to Kenya Power and if there was a complaint, it would have been filed in Kenyan courts.