Chief Justice Martha Koome has taken action over a security incident that occurred at Makadara Law Courts involving a senior police officer leading to serious gunshot injuries to Principal Magistrate Monicah Kivuti.
In a statement on Thursday, June 13, 2024, CJ Koome has ordered the Judiciary Police Unit in consultation with the Office of the Inspector General Japhet Koome to immediately reinforce security across all courts in the country.
Koome has also issued a restraining order against armed offices accessing the court premises. She says that only accredited security officers would be allowed to enter different courts across the country.
According to CJ Koome, the incident has compelled the Judiciary to call for a review of how the accused persons will be handled going forward.
Various security officers will be involved in the review aimed at informing court protocols to avert the repeat of such cases.
“The Judiciary together with the Office of Inspector General and connected NCAJ actors will review the security protocols regarding handling of accused persons in the courtroom,” the statement read in part.
“The Judiciary Security Committee will engage stakeholders to adopt and implement security measures for each Court station. The Judiciary Security Committee will also work with the Judiciary Infrastructure and Building Committee and the Office of the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary to ensure that all Judiciary infrastructure meets international standards for security of Judges, Judicial Officers and staff.”
Makadara Court closed
Following the incident where the Magistrate, CJ Koome has ordered the immediate closure of the Makadara Law Courts. The Lady Chief Justice insisted that all pending cases would be heard manually.
“The Court premises at Makadara Law Courts will remain closed until Monday, June 17, 2024, for security reinforcement. All matters at the Makadara Law Courts will be heard virtually and those requiring physical appearance mentioned at the Milimani Law Courts,” she added.
At the same time, CJ Koome lamented over the lack of resources noting that the magistrate was sitting in a makeshift structure when the incident occurred. She has since challenged the National Treasury and National Assembly to prioritise adequate funding to facilitate the development of appropriate court infrastructure across the country.
Judiciary’s pledge
Koome vowed to advocate for adequate training of court officials to handle emergencies.
“The Office of the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary will prioritize financial resources towards implementation of these measures. Targeted security training will be provided to officers deployed to the Judiciary and serving members of the public in registries and other court functions,” she insisted.
“The Executive Director of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) will convene an urgent meeting of the NCAJ Council to discuss factors leading to this tragic incident and to adopt measures to avert any future threats.”
Nonetheless, CJ Koome assured the country that all the injured officers are in stable condition.
“Monicah Kivuti, PC Augustine Michael Kithumbi, PC Maureen Lepes and PC Eunice Macharia are receiving treatment and are all in stable condition,” she asserted.
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