Chief Justice David Maraga has ordered judges to take stern action to prevent lawyers from taking multiple cases after he accused them of slowing down the courts.
Speaking during the National Anti-Corruption Conference at Bomas, Maraga accused the lawyers of delaying court processes while juggling their multiple cases.
He, therefore, directed judges to mention the cases and give them fresh hearing dates that suit the magistrates' schedule and not the lawyers'.
“If your lawyer is having your case and is defending so and so, we are not going to wait for you if your lawyer is caught up with other cases and is not able to represent you at the said time.
"I have asked those magistrates to mention all those cases and give them fresh hearing dates, the dates available to those magistrates, not the lawyers,” he started.
While at the event, Maraga also took the opportunity to address numerous attacks, with the latest being made on Thursday, towards how the judiciary lags corruption cases.
He accused the prosecution of poorly framing cases and then engaging in blame games with the judiciary.
“Look at the way you frame cases; you put 30 accused people in one charge sheet and they are represented by 30 lawyers. How long do you think that will take?” posed the CJ
He further claimed that the prosecution offers half-baked evidence.
“The war against corruption is going to be won by concrete evidence that is going to be brought to us.
“We will dismiss half-baked cases and we will do firmly- we will not send anyone who is innocent to prison,” he continued.
This came a day after DCI George Kinoti attacked the Judiciary accusing them of passing lenient sentences despite irrefutable pieces of evidence.
He went on to state that the courts gave ‘strange orders’ when it came to powerful suspects implicated in various scandals including blocking the arrest of high-level lawyers.
CJ David Maraga to the lawyers and accused persons: We are not going to wait for you if your lawyer is caught up with other cases and is not able to represent you at the said time
Dates will be given; those are available to magistrates and not to the lawyers pic.twitter.com/KxirGky5dz
