Ex-MP faults Mutunga and Moi meeting
A former MP who has sued Mr Daniel arap Moi for unlawful detention on Wednesday complained to a court about Chief Justice Willy Mutunga’s meeting with the retired Head of State.
Mr Otieno Mak’Onyango told Judge Kalpana Rawal that he was disturbed by media reports that Justice Mutunga visited Mr Moi on September 14.
“I’m in court because of the detention instigated by the second defendant (Moi),” said Mr Mak’Onyango.
He said it was wrong for the meeting to take place when the case was continuing.
“I feel that this amounts to contempt of court,’’ he said, and asked the judge to summon the defendant.
But the judge directed him to file a formal complaint.
The hearing proceeded with the cross examination of Mr Mak’Onyango by Mr Moi’s lawyer, Ms Kethi Kilonzo.
The former Alego Usonga MP was a reporter with the Standard Newspaper when he was arrested in 1982.
He claims he was illegally detained and tortured because of an article he wrote on the death of politician JM Kariuki.
He wants Mr Moi and the government to compensate him for unlawful detention for five years and violation of his rights.
A brief history
In an earlier appearance, Mr Mak’Onyango blamed his woes on the stories he wrote about the disappearance of JM.
The story said that the outspoken politician had been killed, contradicting the government position that he was in Lusaka, Zambia, on a business trip.
The latter was stated in Parliament by Mr Moi, who was then Vice-President and Home Affairs minister.
He also alleged that on the day the story was published, Mr Charles Njonjo, then Attorney-General, approached him in Parliament and asked him “what he had been up to with the story”.
Mr Mak’Onyango was arrested on August 18, 1982, at the Standard Newspaper offices on Likoni Road.
He was detained at General Service Unit headquarters in Ruaraka and shared a cell with Mr Raila Odinga (now Prime Minister) and Prof Vincent Osanya, who are also listed as his witnesses.
Mr Mak’Onyango claims he was assaulted by the police after he refused to confess that he took part in the 1982 attempted coup.
The hearing continues.
