Gachagua impeachment ruling: A profile of the 3-judge bench presiding over his case

The High Court is expected to deliver its ruling in the impeachment case involving former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, a decision that has drawn intense public and political interest.

At the centre of the proceedings is a three-judge bench tasked with determining the outcome of a case that could have significant implications for his political future.

The high-profile three-judge bench comprising Justices Eric Ogolla, Anthony Mrima and Freda Mugambi convened on Monday, June 8, 2026, to deliver a definitive ruling on the consolidated petitions challenging Gachagua’s dramatic ouster.

The composition of the bench, their judicial experience, and prior rulings have now come under scrutiny as attention shifts to the individuals who will shape one of the most closely watched decisions of the year.

Tasked by Chief Justice Martha Koome to navigate this constitutional minefield, the selection of the panel was heavily scrutinised by both the state and the opposition.

The resulting bench – comprising a battle-tested administrative leader, a heralded champion of constitutional human rights, and an elite legal scholar – reflects a calculated attempt to construct an airtight judicial bulwark against accusations of bias.

As the country dissects the extensive ruling, the backgrounds of the three individuals behind the historic verdict offer crucial context into how this high-stakes decision was forged.

Justice Eric Ogola

Serving as the anchor and presiding voice of the bench is Justice Eric Ogola, a jurist whose steady ascent through the ranks of the judiciary has earned him a reputation as an institutionalist.

Appointed as a High Court Judge in 2011 after two decades in private practice, Justice Ogola is not a stranger to complex regional interests.

He spent years anchoring key stations outside the capital, serving as the Presiding Judge in the coastal hub of Mombasa and later in the politically vital Rift Valley town of Eldoret.

In September 2022, his peers elected him as the Principal Judge of the High Court, effectively placing him in charge of the administration, deployment, and daily operations of the country’s entire High Court infrastructure.

Highly educated with a Master of Laws in Maritime and Admiralty Law from the University of Cape Town, Justice Ogola’s judicial style is defined by procedural discipline.

Throughout the turbulent Gachagua hearings, his steady hand was visible in navigating aggressive, multi-layered legal technicalities presented by the country’s most formidable senior counsels

Justice Anthony Mrima

If Justice Ogola provides the administrative anchor, Justice Anthony Mrima brings the battle-tested grit of a judge routinely deployed to the front lines of constitutional conflict.

Since his appointment to the High Court in 2014, Justice Mrima has consistently found himself at the centre of lightning-rod political cases.

His tenure in the Constitutional and Human Rights Division in Nairobi saw him issue bold, uncompromising rulings that frequently rankled the executive branch, asserting the supremacy of the Bill of Rights over political convenience.

His uncompromising jurisprudence has not gone unnoticed.

In 2023, the Law Society of Kenya named him the Best Judge of the Year, a testament to his standing among practising lawyers.

His influence within the third branch of government was further cemented in September 2024, when his fellow magistrates and judges elected him to represent them as a Commissioner on the highly powerful Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Armed with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi and a background in corporate governance, Mrima’s presence on the bench ensured that the strict threshold of fair hearing and constitutional fidelity remained paramount.

Lady Justice (Dr.) Freda Mugambi

Completing the judicial trinity is Lady Justice Freda Mugambi, who injects a formidable layer of academic rigour and deep institutional memory regarding legal education into the panel.

Appointed to the High Court bench in 2022, Mugambi is primarily stationed in the fast-paced Commercial and Tax Division at Milimani.

What she lacks in long-term judicial tenure compared to her bench colleagues, she more than balances out with a stellar, specialised academic pedigree.

Mugambi holds a prestigious Doctor of Laws (LLD) from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, alongside an LLM in Commercial Law from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Before donning the judicial robes, she played a pivotal role in shaping Kenya’s legal minds, serving as the Director of Examinations at the Council of Legal Education and as the Deputy Director of Judicial Education and Curriculum Development at the Kenya Judiciary Academy.

Her background makes her uniquely attuned to the precise, textual interpretation of statutory frameworks – a critical asset when evaluating whether Parliament adhered to the strict minutiae of impeachment law.