Magistrate Kiama Drops Death Threat Case Against Mumias East MP Salasya

Former Kakamega Resident Magistrate Gladys Kiama has withdrawn the death threat charges against Mumias East MP Peter Kalerwa Salasya. 

In a letter addressed to the Western Regional Coordinator, Magistrate Kiama stated her decision to drop the complaint against the MP and seek an alternative, more amicable resolution to the matter.

"I wish to withdraw the said complaint as we consider alternative dispute resolution in a more amicable environment," Kiama wrote in the letter dated September 27, 2024, referencing Inquiry File Number 1/2024.

Magistrate Kiama had earlier lodged a complaint, claiming that MP Salasya had threatened her life, prompting the police to summon the legislator for questioning. Salasya was later arrested and released on a Sh20,000 cash bail after being interrogated over the alleged death threats.

Kakamega Deputy DCIO Lucy Wamutiro, who conducted the questioning, confirmed that Salasya was cooperative during the three-hour session. 

"We did not encounter any difficulties in gathering the information we needed. We also recorded the magistrate's statement and will forward the case to the prosecutor for appropriate action," Wamutiro said.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) had previously pledged to collaborate with detectives to ensure justice for Magistrate Kiama, who claimed that the MP threatened her following a ruling in the Small Claims Court on November 27. 

According to police investigations, the first-term lawmaker allegedly called and sent threatening texts to the magistrate on the same day as the ruling. 

He also reportedly posted defamatory comments about her on Facebook that evening. In her ruling, Magistrate Kiama had ordered Salasya to repay Sh500,000 to his debtor, Robert Lutta, a loan the MP had failed to clear.

This is not the first legal issue MP Salasya has faced. In a separate case, Kakamega-based lawyer Wafula accused the MP and his aides, including a police officer, of assaulting him at a local hotel on November 2. 

According to Wafula, the incident occurred at the Vovo café, where Salasya allegedly hurled insults at him in Swahili. The MP and his aides only fled after other patrons and the hotel management intervened.

Wafula later filed a civil lawsuit on November 3 at the Kakamega Law Courts, seeking general and punitive damages for defamation. He claimed the MP had used degrading language that tarnished his reputation. 

Despite moving to a different restaurant, Vault, later that evening, Wafula and his friends were again subjected to further insults from the MP. The judgment in Wafula's lawsuit is still pending.