Gladys Shollei tells MPs she is victim of vendetta

Embattled Judiciary Chief Registrar Gladys Shollei on Wednesday claimed that personal differences with three members of the Judicial Service Commission led to her being investigated for alleged improprieties.

Mrs Shollei’s decision to appear before the House committee on Legal Affairs and Administration of Justice came as it appeared that the summonses issued by the committee chairman, Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkong’a, were opening up a rift between the Legislature and the Judiciary.

The committee has also ordered Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to appear before it this morning to explain the decision to suspend the Chief Registrar.

However, the Nation on Wednesday night established that some members of the JSC had resolved not to honour the summons, citing separation of powers and political interference in the Judiciary.

Opening the session on Wednesday, Mr Chepkong’a responded to indications that the JSC would snub his summons: “This committee is playing an oversight role over several State organs including the Judicial Service Commission. In fact, we have the same powers as the High Court of Kenya. This committee handled the Judiciary budget. This is the committee that vetted the Chief Justice. He must appear (before us).”

Mr Chepkong’a reported to the committee that the JSC had written to notify them that they will not be able to honour today’s summons as they needed time to discuss it.

On Wednesday, Mrs Shollei named city lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi, Mr Justice Mohammed Warsame and chief magistrate Emily Ominde as the Judicial Service Commission members hounding her.

Responding to queries from Homa Bay MP Opondo Kaluma, Mrs Shollei accused Mr Ahmednassir of frustrating her efforts to secure a building to house the Court of Appeal in Mombasa.

“I have had difficult relations with Mr Ahmednassir for the past several months now. He openly told me to forget about getting the building, instead telling me ‘Nitaleta ingine (I will bring another one)’,” she said without giving further details.

She said her frosty relations with Mr Justice Warsame arose from the fact that she refused to give in to his demands to employ “his people”.

“Justice Warsame has constantly been taunting me about hiring his people. He kept on telling me that ‘hatujakula matunda ya uhuru yako (we have not seen the fruits of your tenure)’”, Mrs Shollei said.

As for Ms Ominde, the Chief Registrar on forced leave said: “She fought me from Day One. I have written several letters to the Chief Justice with regard to my role as Chief Registrar. She has at many times attempted to instruct me to do certain duties, which I think is not right.”

PUBLICLY HUMILIATED

Mrs Shollei said her move to go public on the matter had been prompted by the manner in which she had been publicly humiliated by the JSC, adding that she was on a mission to clear her reputation.

Asked to clarify claims that she had exhibited authoritarian tendencies while undertaking her duties, she curtly replied: “Yes, and I have no apologies to make. I am a no-nonsense individual who does not entertain laziness even to my own children. I am very clear in what I want. I work very hard, I am respectful, but above all, I don’t take nonsense.”

Mrs Shollei also claimed that the decision to send her home was irregular and accused the commission of not following the correct procedures as laid down in the Judicial Service Commission Act.

“Up to now I do not know. I have not been briefed of the reasons that led to my removal.”

Mrs Shollei, who strongly defended herself against claims of impropriety in procurement, said she was never involved in procurement or tendering.

“I am not involved in tenders. If there were irregularities, they should direct them to the tender committee. The law states that the committee should be chaired by a senior judicial officer after the CR who is my deputy Kakai Kissinger,” she said.

She stated that she did not handle the multi-billion-shilling renovation tender at the Milimani Law Courts, and that she only stepped in after some complaints were raised on the quality of the renovation.

She insisted that all projects she presided over, including recruitment of new staff, were approved by the JSC.

Mrs Shollei also spoke on leasing of The Elgon Place to house the Court of Appeal and Rahimtulla Towers to house court administrators.

Renting The Elgon Place will cost the Judiciary Sh500 million with an additional Sh200 million to renovate it. She said the process of leasing the two properties was complete but the leases were temporary pending further allocation of resources to build offices to accommodate the officers.

“We have to move from the Supreme Court building because experts have warned that it should be evacuated and renovated,” she said.

The MPs questioned whether the correct procedures was followed in disciplining Mrs Shollei with the discussion dwelling on technical issues including whether it is acceptable for JSC to conduct official business at the weekend.

But Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch raised concerns over Mrs Shollei’s dramatic reaction after the JSC announced her suspension and wondered whether it may have amounted to insubordination.

On Thursday the two JSC committees investigating Mrs Shollei’s conduct are expected to hold their first joint meetings to engage the matters raised.