Sonko seeks identities of witnesses in his graft cases
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko wants identities of witnesses in his graft cases revealed.
Sonko yesterday moved to court seeking to overturn a previous decision by the lower court ordering that the witnesses be protected and that their statements be redacted.
Through lawyers Cecil Miller and George Kithi, Sonko is also seeking to stop his ongoing prosecution in his three graft cases.
Governor says redaction of witness statements should exclude their personal details such as names and addresses, but the accused should at all times have the substance of the evidence to be adduced at the trial.
“The court be pleased to stay the execution of its order allowing the prosecution to have protected witnesses testify in the three cases against Sonko and others,” says MIller.
Sonko also wants the court to issue an order suspending the proceedings in the three graft cases pending before the Nairobi Chief Magistrate’s Court pending the hearing of the application.
In his petition, the county chief wants his three cases stopped, arguing that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) have supplied him with illegible documents and totally redacted witness statements, which they intend to rely on in the prosecution of his cases.
“The DPP and EACC have willfully refused to comply with the court directions on disclosure and discovery of evidence in all the three cases they have lodged against me,” says Sonko.
He says the essence of the redaction is to hide the identity of or protect the witness and not to prejudice the accused in his preparation of a defence.
“It is important to ensure that the redaction of witness statements does not create gaps affecting the quality or meaning of the remaining portions of the document which are produced,” he says.
