EACC arrests High Court advocate and a Court Clerk for soliciting in the name of a judge
15:06:2024: The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested Clifford Odhiambo, a Kisumu-based Advocate of the High Court, and Zakayo Otieno Wambogo, a Court Assistant assigned to Hon. Lady Justice Roselyne Aburili, a Presiding Judge of Kisumu High Court.
The two were arrested yesterday (Friday) afternoon in relation to a complaint made to EACC by Justice Aburili to the effect that they had demanded and received Kes500, 000 from a litigant in the pretext that they were acting on her behalf.
In soliciting for the bribe, the two suspects purported that the Presiding Justice of the Kisumu High Court had demanded for it as an inducement to deliver a favourable judgement in a case before her. The said case was determined on May 17th, 2024.
Lady Justice Aburili, who has since recorded a statement with EACC stated that she received information that the advocate had handed over Kes500, 000 to her Court Assistant for onward transmission to her without her knowledge. Consequently, she grilled the implicated advocate and Court Assistant in open Court. The two confessed to having received the said money in her name and divided it between themselves.
The two suspects were, after arrest, placed in custody at Kisumu Railways/Port Police Station pending further action.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the money was given to Advocate Gwada by Peter Warindu and Company Advocates for whom he was holding brief in the case. Mr Gwada told the law firm that the Judge had demanded the money in order to issue judgement in favour of a claimant in an insurance claim.
Notably, this is the second time Justice Aburili has reported a similar case to EACC. When she served in Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, Justice Aburili reported staff working in her chambers to EACC after they solicited a bribe in her name. She later testified against them in Court leading to their conviction for giving and receiving a bribe.
EACC, noting the increasing cases of imposters and fraudsters extorting money in the names of senior public officials in the justice system, urges Kenyans to remain vigilant and not fall prey to such fraudulent schemes. All suspected fraudsters should be reported to EACC through Toll Free Line 1551 or other relevant law enforcement agencies for action.
