There was drama in a Nairobi court on Thursday morning when Mike Sonko’s legal team exchanged words with the prosecution after a ruling by Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
Ogoti, who had already delivered his ruling dismissing an application to recuse himself from Sonko’s Sh10 million corruption case, stormed out saying the proceedings had become unruly.
“The proceedings have become unruly since the court has rendered its decision and at this rate we shall end nowhere. Any party that is dissatisfied should follow the normal process,” said Ogoti.
Sonko’s defense team claimed that the magistrate was not listening to them, sparking a verbal spat with the prosecution.
As the proceedings continued, a nurse who accompanied the former Nairobi governor to court kept checking his blood pressure.
Sonko, who is facing several cases in various courts, was hospitalised in Nairobi Hospital three weeks ago.
However, in Sonko’s Sh14.1 million case that is before Magistrate Peter Ooko, his defense lawyers led by John Khaminwa on Thursday informed the court that Sonko is not mentally fit to follow proceedings based on a medical report from a consultant mental psychiatrist.
According to the mental assessment report from the consultant, the Nairobi governor is unfit to stand trial, and therefore, cannot follow proceedings.
But the prosecution opposed the defense lawyers’ bid to have the case adjourned, saying that four doctors at the Kenyatta National Hospital have a different view of Sonko’s medical condition.
The KNH medical report was made on February 19 and filed in court on March 1, while the assessment by Dr Pius Kigwama that is being relied on by Sonko’s was made and tabled in court on Thursday morning.
