Supreme Court Judge Smokin Wanjala Explains His Absence During the Reading of Detailed Judgement

Supreme Court judge Justice Smokin Wanjala has shed light on his absence at the bench during the reading of the detailed verdict on the presidential election petition on Wednesday last week.

Speaking in an interview with the Nation moments after landing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday night, Justice Wanjala said he missed the important court session because he accompanied his daughter, who was being enrolled to City University of London, in the United Kingdom to study Actuarial Science.

"This is a trip that was planned long before the general elections," said the judge who went on to mention that his ticket was issued by Touch World Safaris.

Justice Wanjala was among the four apex court judges, who ruled in favor of overturning the August 8th presidential election. Others were Chief Justice David Maraga, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and Justice Isaac Lenaola.

Justice Wanjala was, however, absent on September 20 when the court delivered the detailed judgement. In his introductory remarks Chief Justice Maraga excused Justice Wanjala saying je had travelled out of the country.

A section of Kenyans have been demanding to know why Justice Wanjala could not postpone his travel for a duty of such importance. A section also raised queries on whether his absence meant departing from the majority judgment.

Wanjala, however, clarified the matter and dismissed talks that he had departed from his earlier decision.

"Ours is a sick society where all sorts of idlers and busybodies create and feed rubbish to an ever gullible public," Justice Wanjala responded to the innuendoes.