This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
On July 10, 2020, High Court Judge James Wakiaga made the shocking decision to withdraw from the high-profile murder case of former Kabete MP George Muchai, citing threats and a hostile environment.
The case, which dates back to 2015, involves the murder of Muchai and his three aides along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi. The suspects, including Raphael Kimani alias Kim Butcher, Kimani Anyonyi alias Musti, Stephen Lipapo alias Chokore, and Erick Muyera alias Chairman, had been accused of the crime.
According to a report published in the Daily Nation, the suspects had complained to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) about Judge Wakiaga's behavior, alleging gross misconduct and incompetence. The judge had clarified that the accused persons had complained about his behavior and were pursuing him to be investigated.
One of the suspects had stated, 'We (suspects) are not satisfied with this court. We have lost confidence in it and we want the judge to disqualify himself for being biased.' This statement was made in 2019, highlighting the long-standing issues with the case.
On the fateful day of the murder, heavily armed gunmen opened fire on Muchai's vehicle, killing him and his three aides. A relative who survived the shooting recounted the traumatic event, stating, 'They just started spraying it with bullets. When we saw that, our driver sped past the other car and when we came back to the scene a few minutes later, all the occupants of the vehicle were dead.'
