A magistrate accused of soliciting a bribe from a suspect to rule in his favour on Thursday denied the charges before a Nakuru court.
Kericho resident magistrate Judith Achieng was charged on two accounts of allegedly receiving Sh30,000 bribe from Wilson Yegon through her court clerk Robert Cheruiyot who at the time acted as an interpreter on August 20 and 27 at Kericho law courts.
According to the charge sheet, Cheruiyot faced four accounts of illegally receiving money mounting to Sh80,000 from Yegon as an inducement so as to facilitate awarding of a favourable penalty where Yegon was a suspect on August 19, twice on 20 and 27 at Kericho law courts.
The two were arrested on August 20 by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC) for allegedly taking Sh20,000 bribe from Yegon who had been accused of running a bar without a licence in 2014 and the matter was pending judgment.
Represented by lawyers David Mongeri and Lawrence Karanja, Achieng told the court that the investigative officers confiscated her national identity card and a personal laptop which contains personal documents and undelivered judgments.
“During that time of arrest, the investigating officer confiscated her personal laptop and national identity card, it restricts her liberty and she cannot access bank and buildings,” said Karanja.
He also urged the court to take an early date because the two have been interdicted and also to release the items as well as maintaining the bond terms that were given to them by the police.
State prosecutor Hillary Songoyo told the court that her identity card and laptop are part of exhibits and the laptop indeed contained judgment of the matter connected to the charge.
“The content of the laptop will compact with the prosecution and it has been availed to forensic experts to examine and we will release it as the report is made,” he said.
Songoyo also told the court that the ID card was in the purse that contained the money that will be used as part of the exhibits.
Appearing before Senior Principle Magistrate Wakumile Ndururu, they denied the charges and their lawyers pleaded for linen bond term.
Ndururu ordered the prosecution to return her national ID card and remain with certified copy and the laptop returned to the judiciary by the day of mention.
They were released on a surety bond of Sh50,000 with one surety and an alternative cash bail of Sh20,000.
The case will mentioned on October 2.