Mumias East MP Peter Salasya Faces Legal Troubles After Small Claims Court Ruling and Threats Against Magistrate
In a dramatic turn of events, Mumias East Member of Parliament, Peter Salasya, finds himself entangled in legal troubles following a ruling by the Kakamega Small Claims Court and subsequent allegations of death threats against Magistrate Gladys Kiama. The saga unfolds as the court orders Salasya to pay businessman Robert Lutta Ksh500,000 along with accrued interest and legal costs.
The legal battle began on October 23 when Lutta, represented by lawyer Edwin Wafula, filed a case against Salasya, accusing the MP of failing to repay a loan of Ksh500,000. Lutta claimed that he had innocently loaned the amount to Salasya in December of the previous year, with an agreement that the legislator would repay it within two months.
“On the material day, I proceeded to the Kenya Commercial Bank, Mumias branch, where I made a direct transfer of the Sh500,000 to the personal account of the MP, who promised to refund the amount within two months from the date of the transaction.” reads part of Lutta’s submission to court
In a detailed account, Lutta revealed that he transferred the funds directly to Salasya’s personal account at the Kenya Commercial Bank, Mumias branch. Despite frequent reminders, Salasya allegedly failed, refused, and neglected to refund the amount. Armed with bank transfer details, Lutta sought justice through the Small Claims Court.
During the court proceedings, Salasya mounted a counterclaim, asserting that he had actually loaned Lutta Ksh1 million through his political advisor, Bernard Kemba. However, Magistrate Kiama dismissed Salasya’s counterclaim, labeling it inconsistent, inadequate, implausible, and dissuasive. She pointed out the lack of evidence supporting Salasya’s assertion, emphasizing the contradictory statements made during the hearing.
The court ruled in favor of Lutta, ordering Salasya to settle the Ksh500,000 debt, along with accrued interest, and cover the legal costs incurred by the businessman in filing the case. The judgment delivered by Magistrate Kiama highlighted the discrepancies in Salasya’s defense, noting the absence of binding evidence to support his claim of lending Ksh1 million to Lutta.
“The respondent (Salasya) first claimed he had personally loaned the petitioner (Mr Lutta) Sh1 million in cash but later changed during the hearing stage and said that he had loaned the money through a proxy. The proxy in question, one Bernard Kemba, could not even identify the claimant (Lutta) even after an identification parade was carried out in court claiming that the camera was not clear even though their lawyer was able to identify those appearing on the screen. I therefore find the counterclaim inconsistent,” read part of the ruling by Magistrate Kiama.
Undeterred by the court’s decision, Salasya, represented by his lawyer Webo, sought a 30-day stay on the execution of the judgment, which was granted by the court. However, the legal saga took a darker turn when Magistrate Kiama reported to the Kakamega Police Station that Salasya had allegedly threatened to kill her after the unfavorable ruling.
The police report details the confrontation between Salasya and Magistrate Kiama outside the courtroom, where he reportedly threatened her life. The report also mentions subsequent threatening messages sent to the magistrate via WhatsApp and SMS.
“At around 1230 hours while at Kakamega Law Courts, having delivered a judgement in a small claim matter vide case no. SSC E541/2023 against Hon. Peter Salasya, MP for Mumias East Constituency where he had been sued for failing to refund the money loaned to him by the claimant, he (Salasya) confronted her (Magistrate) outside the courtroom and threatened to kill her and then took off,” reads part of the filed police report
In response to the serious nature of the allegations, the police have launched an investigation to apprehend Salasya, who is currently at large.
The legal troubles add another layer to Salasya’s controversial tenure as a first-term Member of Parliament. Known for his frequent brushes with controversy, Salasya has previously faced accusations of physical and verbal attacks against a lawyer handling a case related to a loan of Ksh500,000. The lawyer, Edwin Wafula, accused Salasya of assaulting him on two different occasions within Kakamega.
This recent incident follows a pattern of confrontations involving Salasya, including being chased out of a church service in Mumias West Constituency by rowdy youths. Despite these controversies, Salasya has managed to secure a position among the top-performing young MPs in the country, as indicated by a poll released by Infortrak.
The unfolding legal drama and the threat allegations against Salasya have further intensified the scrutiny surrounding his actions. As the investigations progress, the legal system and law enforcement authorities will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of these serious allegations against the Member of Parliament.