Okemo And Gichuru in Court to Block UK Extradition

Jillo Kadida

3 June 2011

Nairobi — Nambale MP Chris Okemo and former parastatal chief Samuel Gichuru have gone to court seeking to block extradition to the United Kingdom where they are wanted for a corruption case.

The two are opposing their extradition on grounds that the offence complained of took place in Kenya and therefore that is the country that has the sole jurisdiction to try them.

“Since the offence took place in Kenya, its Kenya which has jurisdiction over the matter. It will be abdication of duty for Kenya to surrender its citizen to a foreign country for trial of alleged municipal law offences.”

In suit papers filed under certificate of urgency on Friday, the two through their lawyer Fred Ngatia argued that there is no plausible reason as to why they should be tried by Jersey Court.

Wanted

The Nambale MP and the former Kenya Power and Lighting Company chief executive are wanted in Jersey, UK where they face a jail term of 14 years for alleged money laundering and corruption.

They are alleged to have received kickbacks to award tenders when the MP served the Moi regime as a Minister for Energy and a Minister for Finance, while Mr Gichuru was at the helm of the KPLC.

The two also took issue with the fact that the proceedings which led to issuance of warrant of arrest against them was conducted without hearing their side of the story.

After learning through the media about the warrants issued against them, they said, they wrote to the solicitor general in Jersey seeking for an explanation as to why the proceedings was held without their knowledge.

Explanations

On its part the authorities in Jersey opted not to give any explanations but instead wrote back saying the warrants will not be withdrawn and neither will the extradition proceedings be delayed.

And as a result the two feel aggrieved and are asking the high court to block the Attorney-General, Director of Public Prosecution and Chief magistrate’s court from hearing any extradition proceedings against them.

Also sought is an order blocking their arrest in relation to the charges levelled against them by Jersey authorities.

The case was taken to Justice Jeanne Gacheche who directed it to be heard by High Court criminal division.

The matter was placed before high court judge Nicholas Ombija, who ordered that the case be heard on Monday.

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