Tuju writes to CJ Koome over Karen property dispute, claims judge demanded bribe

Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju has formally written to Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing elements within the Judiciary of corruption and raising concerns over the conduct of court processes surrounding a dispute that has seen auctioneers and alleged goons attempt to take over his Karen property.

Addressing the press outside Supreme Court buildings after delivering the letter on Friday, Tuju said he had chosen to seek redress through institutions rather than violence despite recent confrontations at his property.

“I have come to the Judiciary today only with a letter and not with goons. If you allow our country to go the goons way then we will be heading to anarchy and chaos. In other words, a failed state,” Tuju said.

The letter follows dramatic scenes witnessed on Wednesday night at Tuju’s Dari Business Park in Karen, where auctioneers accompanied by security personnel and a group of individuals attempted to take control of the premises over a long-running debt dispute with the East African Development Bank (EADB).

Witness accounts and footage from the scene showed dozens of people arriving at the compound, and attempting to restrict access to the property before Tuju confronted them and ordered them to leave.

Tuju insisted that the individuals were attempting to forcefully evict him even though the legal dispute over the property was still ongoing in court.

The standoff came after a court decision cleared the way for the auction of the property to recover a debt estimated at more than Ksh1.9 billion, a case that has been in litigation for years.

Reports indicate that more than 100 individuals were allegedly involved in the attempted takeover, raising fresh concerns about the growing use of hired groups to enforce property disputes outside formal legal procedures.

In his statement, Tuju accused a judicial officer of corruption, claiming he was asked to pay a Ksh.10 million bribe in exchange for a favourable ruling in the case.

He said agents allegedly linked to the judge repeatedly demanded money, which he refused to pay, opting instead to cooperate with investigators from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

“For weeks her agents came demanding money and I refused… Rather than give this bribe I chose to work with the EACC,” Tuju said.

He added that the attempted eviction involving auctioneers and alleged goons followed shortly after the ruling against him.

Tuju also appealed to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate the individuals he claims sponsored the invasion of his property.

While condemning the incident, he urged investigators to focus on those who organized the operation rather than only the young men allegedly hired to carry it out.

“If any goons have to be charged for the optics then for fairness you should also arrest the owners of the goons who hired them and gave instructions for them to storm my premises,” he said.

The former Jubilee Party Secretary General said his petition to the Chief Justice contained information already held by investigative agencies including the DCI, EACC and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

He argued that the matter has broader implications for the credibility of the judiciary, saying the institution itself is “on trial.”

Tuju also signaled that he intends to return to the Supreme Court in the coming days seeking to introduce what he described as new evidence linked to the ongoing dispute with the regional lender.