A politician in a hospital bed during times of crises... the oldest trick in the book

The deputy president's sudden illness during a critical trial is however not the first incident of such. There have been similar incidents in the past.

The ill health defence is not lost on the deputy president, who was cognisant of this strategy for years going as far as making fun of the opposition for failing to show up for one of their anti-government demonstrations.

“Hawa watu walipoona mambo imeumana, hakuna alikanyaga town, mmoja alijiingisha Nairobi Hospital akasema awekewe maji kwa sababu hakuwa mgonjwa,” said Gachagua at the time.

When his moment of reckoning before the Senate occurred, the deputy president suffered sudden "chest pains" as reported by his lawyer Senior Counsel Paul Muite that kept him away from facing the senators and the National Assembly legal team that was set to cross-examine him.

Rigathi Gachagua is not the only politician or person of public interest to have matters of health interfere in a judicial process that puts them in the crosshairs.

From as far back as the Goldenberg scandal, the sick card has been wielded to varying degrees by a number of high-profile individuals in court. Kamlesh Patni is perhaps one of those who used this on several occasions dragging the corruption cases against him for years.

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko once appeared in court complete with the on-site administration of a medical drip as a matter against him proceeded.

Former Principal Secretary Lilian Omollo, one of the national youth service corruption scandal suspects was also taken ill while in custody and admitted to the private wing of a hospital while her trial proceeded.

More recently, the Member of Parliament for Gatundu South Gabriel Kagombe was hospitalised just after being accused of shooting a man in Thika.