Inside Politics

Prosecution seeks to withdraw Linturi’s ‘madoadoa’ case over lack of evidence

Monday, February 28th, 2022 10:27 | By
Meru Senator Mithika Linturi (right) and his lawyer Elias Mutuma at Nakuru law courts on Monday, February 28, 2022. PHOTO/COURTESY

The prosecution in a case where Meru Senator Mithika Linturi was accused of hate speech over his madoadoa remarks has requested the court to withdraw the case due to lack of evidence.

Linturi's lead counsel Elias Mutuma who accompanied Linturi at Nakuru Law Courts this morning has welcomed the prosecution's move saying his client had no case to answer in the first place.

The Senator is accused of making the remarks in Eldoret on January 9, 2022.

"This was a political game and witchhunt. The State has used intimidation and misused the court for the past two months," he said.

While addressing a rally in Eldoret, Linturi said: "Sisi tunataka kuwa kwa serikali inayokuja lakini nawaambia watu wa Uasin Gishu msicheze na Kenya na kile nawaomba ni kwamba madoadoa yale mliyonayo hapa muweze kuondoa. Hatuwezi kuwa tukisimama na William Ruto kule Mt Kenya na mko na wengine hapa hawasikii na hawawezi ungana naye (We want to be in the coming government but I want to tell you people of Uasin Gishu not to play with Kenya and I am asking you to remove the spots you have here. We cannot stand with William Ruto from Mt Kenya yet you have people here who don't listen and cannot team up with him)."

He later apologized after his remarks attracted criticism from Deputy President William Ruto's opponents.

“While addressing the UDA rally at Eldoret, I expressed myself using words which in a certain context, have acquired sinister political overtones and come to be associated with incitement and hate speech.

“At that moment, I was vigorously urging our supporters to offer full support to UDA candidates in this year's election, and was oblivious of the possibility that my choice of words might assume negative meaning,” he added.

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