Piece by: PERPETUA ETYANG

16 June 2024

• Koome had initially said the court would remain closed until Monday, June 17 to allow for enhancement of security at the court.

Chief Justice Martha Koome has extended by a week the closure of Makadara Law Courts until June 24 for reorganisation.

This follows a shooting incident at the Makadara Law Courts that claimed the life of principal magistrate Monica Kivuti.

Koome had initially said the court would remain closed until Monday, June 17 to allow for enhancement of security at the court.

But on Saturday, Koome extended the closure period after Kivuti succumbed to her inmjuries Friday night.

"Makadara Law Courts will remain closed until Monday, June 24, 2024, to allow the dismantling of the makeshift court structures and to allow reorganisation for security reasons," she said.

The resolution came after the CJ chaired a the Judiciary Leadership Team (JLT) to deliberate on the matter of Kivuti's murder.

"The Judiciary administration will also work day and night to complete the prefabs at Makadara Law Courts," she said.

CJ Koome said all affected matters listed before Makadara Law Courts next week will be mentioned before Milimani Law Courts.

She further said the Judiciary administrative units will work on boosting security across all court stations with the available resources.

"In the meantime, the Judiciary leadership will engage the Executive and Parliament on additional resources to support the implementation of past recommendations touching on securing the Judiciary - a matter that has been discussed repeatedly with the concerned agencies for many years."

The Chief Justice called on the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the office of the Inspector General of Police to deploy additional officers to reinforce the complement of officers in the Judiciary Police Unit.

She further called for the reorganisation of the Judiciary Police Unit into a fully-fledged Police Unit under the leadership of a senior commanding officer with a fully functional Secretariat.

CJ Koome reassured Judges, judicial officers and staff that the Judiciary Leadership Team is aware of the security concerns that they continually face in the dispensation of justice and are taking the necessary measures to address the concerns.

"The entire Judiciary is in deep mourning. In our mourning, the JLT sends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and relatives of Magistrate Kivuti and we pray that the Almighty provides you with peace, grace and fortitude to bear this loss," she said.

The JLT meeting brought together the leadership of all five superior courts, the Magistracy, Kadhis Courts, Tribunals, the Magistrates and Judges Association and the Judicial Staff Association.

The meeting resolved that the Judiciary flag will fly at half-mast until magistrate Kivuti is laid to rest.

The team also resolved to suspend court sessions across the country on Tuesday, June 18 to allow judicial officers to mourn their colleague.

"No Court will sit on this day. Matters that had been listed onTuesday across all Courts and Tribunals will be accommodatedin the Court dairies on priority basis," Koome directed.