Administrators at the Thika law courts are working with detectives to arrest conmen and fraudsters who fleece the public of millions by promising to helping with their cases.
The fraudsters who pose as judiciary officials defrauding unsuspecting 'clients' by pretending they can clear their cases.
Chief magistrate Stella Atambo said they were working closely with investigating agencies and the deputy county commissioner's office to track down brokers hovering around government offices to con clients.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting at the court, Atambo said Thika court being a busy institution attracts all manner of brokers and conmen, who pretend to be court officials or are in a position to help clients.
She said prior to the weeding-out exercise, the conmen used to work closely with court officials to make files of interest get lost, thus annulling some cases.
Some of the other interventions include the ongoing digitisation process that she said has helped streamline operations and that no file can get lost from the court registry.
"Before the interventions, it was a mess. The brokers in collaboration with some court officials would make some files taken off from the registry. However, things are different now, it's no longer a market place. As court officials, we have also streamlined our operations and we have targets to reduce backlog, "she said.
The magistrate also said the court has made major strides in clearing the case backlog at the main court, particularly through the launch of the small claims court a year ago.
The courts, she said, have helped in speedy determination of cases that require compensation from accused parties.
“In the small claims courts, we have not only reduced our backlog but also helped speed up compensation among those involved to the tune of Sh200 million during the said period, "she said.
She said they are also working with the police and residents to take part in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce the backlog.
This, she said, would ensure petty cases are closed at the police station. “It will also help decongest our prisons," she said.
(Edited by V. Graham)