Deputy President William Ruto has threatened to file a defamation suit against former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo for linking him to Jacob Juma's murder.
Through a statement by his lawyer Korir Sing'oei, the DP said that he is reviewing the full transcripts of the 'malicious' and defamatory statements made by Jirongo on Thursday during Juma's requiem mass at All Saints Cathedral.
"The DP has noted with concern the comments attributed to Jirongo who stated that Juma slapped Ruto and that is where the problem started and investigations should start there," read Korir's statement.
He added: "Taken together Jirongo's statement carry the patent insinuation that DP Ruto was involved in the death of both Yebei (defense witness in Ruto's collapsed ICC case) and Juma."
Korir said that Ruto has never had any physical contact with Juma and there was no way the latter would have slapped Ruto.
"Such a claim against DP Ruto would only be false, unfounded and malicious and without basis and serves to malign his character and lower the reputation of his person and office in the most defamatory and unjustified fashion," the DP's lawyer wrote.
Ruto, Jirongo and Juma are said to have been members of the notorious YK'92 (Youth For Kanu 1992), the KANU youth wing that vigorously campaigned for Moi's re-election in 1992 in the wake of multiparty democracy.