Chief Justice Martha Koome has taken a proactive step to address complaints of alleged corruption in the Judiciary.
Responding to separate claims, Koome stated that such vices whether true or perceived, erode the public trust of the institution.
Expressing her commitment to upholding integrity and fostering public confidence in the judicial system,
In one of the claims, the CJ stated that a team of investigators would engage the complainant to obtain the particulars of his allegations.
This, as she acknowledged that the claims made by the complainant do not identify the judges said to be involved in corruption or intermediaries collecting bribes on their behalf.
“I have directed the Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission to deploy an investigative team drawn from the JSC to engage the complainant to obtain particulars of the allegations made on the social media platform X to progress the complaints (if comprehensively and fully made) to the Judicial Service Commission for action,” she said.
She also asked the complainant to cooperate with the officers from the JSC “if indeed the allegations made are in good faith".
This is to ensure that the Judiciary operates openly and transparently for the benefit of all Kenyans.
A progress report on the matter, she said, will be made public with JSC also being tasked with providing monthly updates on the status of complaints before it.
Koome also disclosed that she has written to the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to conduct an in-depth probe into the matter.
The CJ at the same time accepted a request by another complainant for dialogue to develop a comprehensive roadmap to address the allegations and “safeguard the integrity of the judiciary.”
The meeting will bring together the LSK president including the council members, Senior Counsel Bar chairperson and representative members, heads of court and JSC members.
The agenda of the meeting will include developing a comprehensive and actionable roadmap to ensure that complaints are raised and to receive updates on the progress of complaints currently before the JSC.
It will also receive an update on the mechanisms adopted by the Judiciary to address corruption and enhance transparency and accountability and on the ongoing National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) framework for addressing corruption within the justice sector.
