- A police report filed at Kakamega police station indicates that the magistrate alleged that Mumias East MP Peter Salasya threatened her.
- She claims that the threats were made after issuing a judgment in a case pitting him and a Kakamega businessman.
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The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association has come to the defense of Kakamega magistrate Hon Gladys Kiama over alleged threats issued to her after rendering a ruling.
A police report filed at Kakamega police station indicates that the magistrate alleged that Mumias East MP Peter Salasya threatened her.
She claims that the threats were made after issuing a judgment in a case pitting him and a Kakamega businessman.
"It was reported by Hon Gladys Kiama female adult aged 32 years and a Resident Magistrate at Kakamega Law Courts that today at around 1230hours while at Kakamega Law Courts,having delivered a judgement in a small claim matter vide case no. SSC E541/2023 against Hon. Peter Salasya, MP for Mumias East Constituency where he had been sued for failing to refund the money loaned to him by the claimant," the OB report read.
"He confronted her outside the courtroom and threatened to kill her and then took off."
But the MP in a rejoinder denied the allegations saying the time the alleged threat occurred he was far from the alleged scene of crime.
Salasya said he did not issue threats to anyone as claimed as he had already left the court's precincts.
"I didn't threaten a magistrate, I am busy developing my constituency. Iam ready to pay that money on Monday. I am a law-abiding Citizen to issue such threats," said Salasya.
Reacting to the developments, KMJA President Derrick Kuto said the incident exposes a dire situation to which judges are subjected.
He demanded immediate action be taken.
" The security situation obtaining in our Kakamega station brings to the fore the unfortunate and sorry state the Judicial officers find themselves in. They are vulnerable and exposed, " Kuto said
"The action of openly threatening our colleague for doing her judicial work stinks to hell."
Kuto urged the security apparatus to act with speed and take action.
" We wish to condemn the careless and pedestrian action in the strongest terms possible. It's in the public domain that a report has since been made and the DCI is investigating the same. Given the public interest involved, we call upon the relevant agencies to speed up the investigations," said Kuto.
"The said gentleman should be arrested forthwith to face the full force of the law."
He said KMJA has since appointed an advocate to represent the magistrate and ensure justice prevails.
The KMJA president added that some of its officials have been injured and killed in previous incidents hence the need to stop the vice.
"This is not an isolated incident. Many of our members have been harmed and killed in the line of duty while others have had to resign."
"Therefore, an attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us. We call upon every Kenyan to frown upon such incidences."
He called upon the Government of Kenya, through its agencies, including the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to make the effort of providing security officers to KMJA members.