Kenya recommends probe into claim top judge took $2m bribe

Kenya's top legal body recommended Friday a tribunal investigate allegations a Supreme Court judge took a $2 million bribe for a favourable ruling.

Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi is alleged to have taken a 200 million Kenyan shilling ($1.96 million, 1.75 million euro) bribe from agents connected to Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, to ensure he won a petition challenging his election.

Tunoi denies any wrong doing, but the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommended the establishment of a tribunal to investigate the claims, Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said.

"The commission is satisfied that there was inappropriate interaction and communication between Tunoi and agents of the litigant, in a matter pending before the Supreme Court," Mutunga said.

"This amounts to gross misconduct, sufficient to warrant the establishment of a tribunal to probe the matter."

The money is alleged to have been handed over in a briefcase at a fuel station, and during initial investigations JSC members went to the Central Bank to see if such a large amount of money could fit into a briefcase.

The recommendation to take action now rests with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who in November declared a range of measures aimed at fighting graft and said corruption was a threat to national security.