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Can courts poke holes in Senate verdict on Gachagua’s impeachment? Lawyer Steve Ogolla sheds light
- While it has not yet reared its head on Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment, the judicial system might wield its power when the time comes
- There is, however, an argument on this, as some quarters hold that the impeachment ends at the Senate and that the process is immune to any judicial review
- But High Court advocate Steve Ogolla strongly avers that the role of the courts cannot be to ruled out of the impeachment; he says the courts have the role of auditing the process to check its alignment with the constitution
Nairobi—Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment could bring the Legislature and Judiciary to a point of clash.
Gachagua’s case is being prosecuted by the two houses of parliament.
The impeachment process intensified on October 8, when 282 MPs voted in favour of the charges against him.
Meanwhile, the deputy president has been filing petition after another to challenge the process.
Legal minds are undecided about whether the courts can alter the outcome of the ouster process upon its conclusion by the upper legislative house.
While some hold that the legislature’s verdict on Gachagua’s impeachment is final, others argue that the court can still wield its power and rule otherwise.
Litigation counsel Steve Ogolla authoritatively avers that the High Court can show up to give directions when there is that need.
While Ogolla appreciates that Gachagua’s impeachment is a preserve of the legislature, he says that upon invitation, the courts can chip in to offer interpretation, which might side with the houses of parliament or not.
He says that the court’s involvement in such matters is limited to auditing the process and reviewing the merits of the impeachment grounds to confirm that both aspects meet the Constitution’s requirements.
“They (courts) ought not to interfere with the outcome of the political process because the power of impeachment is bestowed upon the National Assembly and the Senate; but if the High Court is invited to audit the legality, propriety and constitutionality of the impeachment charges against Gachagua provided they relate to gross violation of the constitution, then the court has jurisdiction to entertain those questions and determine them. So, it is not true that the High Court has no role in the impeachment,” Ogolla told this writer.
Justice Maryam Aliyu Hassan of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Gwarimpa in Abuja has ordered that former Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, be kept at Kuje prison till December 18.
Ngige will be on remand till the date when his bail application would be decided by the court.
Justice Hassan issued the order on Monday shortly after taking arguments for and against the bail request of the former governor of Anambra State.
Ngige’s lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, pleaded with the judge to admit the former minister to bail, mainly on health ground.
He submitted that the former minister would not jump bail or interfere with witnesses if admitted to bail.
However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, represented by Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, vehemently opposed the bail request, insisting that Ngige was a flight risk.
Tahir told the judge that Ngige was granted administrative bail by the EFCC and allowed to travel abroad for medical care but never reported back to the Commission.
Besides, he said that the international passport released to Ngige; to facilitate the abroad trip was never returned till today.
The senior lawyer argued that it was when Ngige was re-arrested that he came up with a purported claim that he lost his passport.
He insisted that the claim of passport loss was an afterthought and should not be believed by the court.
After the submissions, Justice Hassan fixed December 18 to deliver ruling in the bail request.
Ngige was last Friday slammed with an eight-count charge bordering on corrupt practices.
News
Man whose marriage ended after 2 days speaks after his ex-wife claimed he caused it by asking for thr££some.
Bobby denied the allegations made by Uchechi Sandra Nnenne that her family sponsored their wedding which took place on Jan. 4, 2025.
According to Bobby, whom Sandra called Mr B in her story, he spent over N25million on their wedding.
He also denied Sandra’s claims that he kept borrowing money from her.
He sent LIB receipts of some credit alerts he made to Sandra’s account and others made to the accounts of vendors they employed for their wedding.
He also denied requesting thr££some from her. He said he called off the wedding on Jan. 15. He alleged he did this after finding out she was pregnant for another man. He accused her of getting pregnant for her boss. He did not provide evidence to back this allegation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSShW11DMnq/?img_index=8&igsh=bDRkNzBsZXV4YXJq
Sandra also didn’t provide evidence to back her allegations. (Check her claims in previous post).
A young woman allegedly gave birth to a baby boy and k!lled the newborn shortly after delivery in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
The disturbing incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday, December 14, 2025 behind Government Secondary School, Gboko, throwing the community into pandemonium and mourning.
Residents are calling for immediate police intervention to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure justice is served.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement as of the time of this report.
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