By Kamadi Amata
Senior Counsel Paul Muite has said that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was taken to hospital during the lunch break process at his Senate impeachment trial on Thursday.
While addressing Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Muite, lead counsel representing Gachagua, confirmed that the DP fell ill and had to be rushed to hospital.
Muite requested Speaker Kingi to accord him an hour or two to visit Gachagua and deem whether he can proceed with the trial.
Gachagua was set to give his statement and be cross-examined by lawyers representing the National Assembly.
“Apologies and regrets that the Deputy President is not here and the inconveniences and delays caused to the Speaker and the Senator. The position is that during that period that we went as I tried to find out why he’s not here, the sad reality is that the DP has been taken sick and is in hospital,” Muite said as he requested to be accorded till 5:00 pm to bring a report about his client’s status.
The lead counsel representing the National Assembly, however, sought the trial to proceed without Gachagua’s presence.
Meanwhile Senate Speaker Amason Kingi suspended Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment trial on Thursday afternoon after the latter failed to appear on the witness stand.
Gachagua’s lead counsel Paul Muite informed the House that the DP had fallen ill and was rushed to hospital.
He pleaded with the speaker to accord him time to reach Gachagua and assess his situation before bringing a report by 5:00 pm.
National Assembly’s counsel, however, differed with the argument and urged the speaker to proceed with the trial without the DP’s presence as it is a time-bound process that ought to be concluded.
After reviewing both arguments, Speaker Kingi ruled that the Senate session would be suspended till 5:00 pm.
“Having considered the two sides, my directions are as follows: that we suspend this sitting and resume at exactly 5 pm.
We expect the DP to take the witness stand. This is a timebound process unfortunately. It is so ordered,” Kingi ruled.
