Chief Justice David Maraga is set to appear before a Senate Committee to answer questions related to laxity in Makadara Law Courts located in Nairobi.
The Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights revealed, on Tuesday, that it would summon Maraga in 14 days to answer why the court has been experiencing a backlog of cases for some time now.
This came after revelations by thousands of remandees at Industrial Area GK Prison whose cases had prolonged for months.
Others had reportedly been awarded punitive bail terms that were in contravention of the law.
“Within 14 days, we will invite Maraga and ask him why his officers are lax in their work and they are being paid. We want to know why Makadara is being cited for nonperformance,” stated the committee's chairman Samson Cherargei.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr, who is a member of the committee, revealed that so far, the Judiciary was disappointing especially after giving priority to upper class citizens while the poor get holed up in prisons.
He even told of a case where a man was jailed for defilement only to be exonerated after the victim claimed she had lied to fulfill the wishes of the mother.
Other members of the committee include Senator Mithika Linturi, Senator Susan Kihika, Senator Amos Wako, Senator James Orengo among others.
Several leaders among them the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji had blamed the Judiciary of being the weak link in the fight against corruption.
They cited the backlog of cases as the major cause for failed justice to the affected.
