A second judge recused himself from a case filed by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko seeking to stop debate by the County Assembly on the impeachment motion against him. 

High Court Judge Nzioki Makau removed himself from the Sonko case even as he dismissed claims that he had pocketed a Sh7 million bribe to rule in Sonko’s favour.

This comes just days after Justice James Rika also removed himself from the case after a heated session that saw Sonko’s lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui accuse the court of bias.

Kinyanjui lamented that the impeachment motion against the county boss had proceeded despite the court issuing orders barring the process still being in force.

On Wednesday, Justice Makau withdrew from the case after Nairobi County Assembly lawyer Ndegwa Njiru applied to have him disqualified from the hearing on bias claims.

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Sonko last month rushed to the Labour Court seeking to bar the Nairobi County Assembly from debating the ouster motion tabled by Minority Leader Michael Ogada.

Justice Makau then issued orders stopping the city MCAs from debating the ouster motion until the matter is heard and determined on December 3.

In a rejoinder, the assembly lawyer filed an application to have Justice Makau recuse himself from the Sonko case claiming he had pocketed Sh7 million from him and they had a “personal relationship.”

Justice Makau vehemently denied the claims but disqualified himself all the same referring the file back to the Principal Judge to assign a new judge to the hot case.