A tribunal created to investigate the conduct of High Court Judge Martin Mati Muya has presented a report to President Uhuru Kenyatta recommending his removal.
Communication from PSCU on Friday, March 20, reported that the tribunal which was formed on May 8, 2019, has found the judge to be guilty of misbehaviour and gross misconduct.
"The unanimous finding of the tribunal was that the allegations against the judge have been proven. Accordingly, the tribunal unanimously recommended the removal of the Hon. Justice Martin Mati Muya from the office of judge of the High Court of Kenya," the statement read.
The jurist was facing accusations of bias, abuse of office, incompetency and gross misconduct in the manner he handled a case where a local bank had been sued by two petitioners.
Muya is accused of issuing a temporary order that led to the loss of Ksh76 million by the bank after the order stayed in place for five months. He was also accused of inordinately delaying his decision in another case.
While he was still facing those charges, he was caught up in a life-threatening incident when police officers shot at his car in October 2019, thinking that he had been kidnapped after being informed that he had gone missing.
The judge was found to be dead drunk at the wheel on the same night that interior CS Fred Matiang'i had ordered the closure of all bars and restaurants as it was during the census night.
The Tribunal that reccomended his removal was chaired by Justice (Rtd.) Alnashir Visram and had the membership of: Lucy Kambuni (Vice-Chairperson), Justice (Rtd.) Festus Azangalala, Ambrose Weda, Andrew Bahati Mwamuye, Sylvia Wanjiku Muchiri, and Amina Abdalla.
Others were Paul Nyamodi (Lead Assisting Counsel) and Stella Munyi (Assisting Counsel) as well as Peter Kariuki and Josiah Musili as Joint Secretaries.
PSCU further announced that the President extended his gratitude to the Tribunal for dispensing with the matter expeditiously.
He also called for expedited consideration of the pending petitions with respect to Lady Justice Lucy Waithaka (Environment and Land Court) and Mr. Justice Njagi Marete (Employment and Labour Relations Court) who are also accused of gross misconduct.
