Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko, is in relief after a high court ruling temporarily suspended a Sh10 million graft case against him.
The former governor is said to have committed the offence between January 10 and 19, 2019 within the city.
Justice James Wakiaga delivered the ruling Thursday evening that sees the suspension upheld until June 23rd 2021.
Justice Wakiaga stopped further prosecution of Sonko in a corruption case before trial magistrate Daglous Ogoti; pending the hearing of a petition seeking to have the magistrate barred from handling the case.
“l do hereby grant the petitioner(Sonko) temporary conservatory orders up to June 23, 2021. The orders are in respect to Anti-Corruption case number 1 of 2020,” came Justice Wakiaga’s ruling.
Sonko had in March moved to the High Court’s Anti-Corruption Division claiming that magistrate Ogoti was biased and wanted him stopped from handling the case.
He argued that if Ogoti is allowed to continue hearing the case against him, he stands to suffer irreparable damage.
Sonko requested that the case be assigned to another magistrate of similar jurisdiction to ensure a fair trial.
Lawyers representing Sonko in the case, led by Dr. John Khaminwa, walked out of a court hearing claiming bias by trial magistrate Mr Douglas Ogoti.
They claimed Mr Ogoti declined to allow them time to get evidence from the first lot to prepare for Mr Sonko’s defence.
Sonko was accused of demanding a Sh10 million bribe from Web Tribe Ltd through ROG Security Limited as a bribe to facilitate payments by the county government.