High Court Judge Jessie Lessit on Monday withdrew and referred the murder file against TV journalist Jacque Maribe and her fiance Joseph Irungu alias Jowie to another Judge.
Lessit said that the case would be handled by another Judge who she did not name, but there are claims that Justice James Wakiaga will now handle it.
Sources say that Justice Wakiaga is the second in command regarding the hierarchy at the Milimani High court criminal division.
According to confidential sources, Lessit who is the head of the Milimani High court criminal division has the powers to refer a case to another Judge.
“She is the head of the High court criminal section, and as such she allocates cases to other junior judges,” a source who sought anonymity since he is not authorised to speak to the media revealed.
The source further said that Justice Lessit is handling several high profile murder cases and she could have thought of handing Maribe and Jowie’s case to another Judge to reduce on the backlog and speedy trial.
“There is nothing sinister in Judge Lessit’s decision to hand the murder case to another Judge," the source said.
Justice Lessit is also presiding over the murder trial against Migori Governor Okoth Obado, his aides Michael Oyamo and Capsal Obiero.
Obado’s bail ruling is coming up on October 24.
Lessit is also handling the murder case against five administration officers who were charged with the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his driver and client.
The hearing is at an advanced stage.
Justice Lessit is one of the most experienced criminal judges and is known for her strictness and adherence to the law.
The soft-spoken judge has in the recent months made critical judgments, among them the sentencing to death of former Langata prison's beauty queen Ruth Kamande.
Lessit found Kamande guilty of stabbing and killing her boyfriend in Nairobi’s Buruburu estate in 2015.
#hivisasaoriginal