This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
Cliff Ombeta's Passionate Defence of MP Waluke Raises Eyebrows ¶
On June 25, 2020, renowned criminal lawyer Cliff Ombeta made a passionate appeal to the presiding judge in defence of Sirisia MP John Waluke, who was found guilty of fraudulently receiving over Ksh300 million from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
Waluke and his co-accused, Grace Wakhungu, were found guilty of the offence in August 2004, when Erad Supplies and General Contractors Ltd was awarded a Kshs.778 million tender to supply 40,000 tonnes of maize without due diligence, technical and financial evaluation.
Delivering his closing statements, Ombeta made a passionate appeal to Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma to deliver the most lenient sentence possible, citing Waluke's years of service to the Kenyan military and his role as a father figure to his constituents.
"The conviction has deflated Waluke. Confidence is no longer there. He is a broken man. He has accepted the findings but wants to plead with you to exercise your mercy," Ombeta told the judge.
He argued that Waluke's constituents would be affected if he was jailed, and that he still had some dignity to maintain as a Member of Parliament.
However, Ombeta's statements attracted mixed reactions, with some accusing him of defending the indefensible while others commended him for his legal prowess.
