The Kenya Association of Judges and Magistrates has warned of the disruption of all judicial services all week following the death of Magistrate Monicah Kivuti.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the leaders of the association stated they would be off duty from Wednesday to Friday.
“The national council, the Kenya Association of Judges and Magistrates, and the leadership of the Kenya Judicial Staff Association met and made the following resolutions: the members of both associations will stop providing services from June 19 and June 21, 2024," stated the Judges.
Further, the magistrates added that they would be downing their tools to lobby the government to ensure their safety while discharging their duties.
Following this announcement, judicial services will be halted all week after Chief Justice Martha Koome earlier issued a notice stating that the judges would be off on Tuesday in honour of their fallen colleague.
“Tuesday, June 18 is declared as a day of mourning for the entire Judiciary. Presiding Judges and heads of stations will lead remembrance meetings in common rooms in all court stations in the country. Court stations in Nairobi will convene at Madaraka and Milimani Law Courts,” read a statement issued by Martha Koome.
Additionally, Koome had ordered the closure of Makadara Law Courts where the fatal shooting incident happened.
Koome stated that the law courts would be closed until June 24, to facilitate the reorganisation of the makeshift structures and to beef up security.
Further, Koome had instructed that the Judiciary flag will fly at half-mast from Saturday across all court stations until Hon Kivuti is laid to rest.
Monica Kivuti, a senior magistrate at the Makadara Law Courts was shot by a senior police officer aggrieved by her ruling against his wife and succumbed to her injuries on Friday night.
The magistrate had cancelled a bond for the accused person who was the wife of the police officer, when he suddenly walked into the courtroom and opened fire.
Three other police officers were injured in the incident as they tried to tackle the rogue policeman who was eventually gunned down inside the court.
