The Law Society of Kenya Nairobi Branch has threatened to petition for the removal of the judge mentioned in ex-Nairobi governor Mike Sonko’s expose from his chambers, should the Judicial Service Commission fail to act.
Led by the branch’s Chairman, Eric Theuri, the legal body gave the JSC 14 days to take action against the judge, failure to which they would make good of their threat.
LSK has also vowed that the lapse of the given ultimatum shall see all lawyers boycott court sessions by the judge until the allegations are addressed and a logical conclusion made.
The said judge was captured on a video posted by former Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko on November 16, 2021, where the judge was heard asking Ksh100 million to compromise a case he was presiding over.
The judge was using a man purportedly said to be his relative to solicit for the bribe on his behalf.
LSK now joins a growing list of lobby groups and individuals who have been pushing for the removal of the judge, since Tuesday’s expose.
LSK Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Wambua, through a press statement, has asked the relevant authorities to expedite the investigations into the allegations within the shortest time possible, owing to the vast evidence in the said video.
“The above notwithstanding, there is in the exposé, a staggering amount of candidly recorded video material from within the chambers of a serving judge of Kenyan’s Judiciary, capturing in his own words accounts of transactions that are utterly inimical to the status and conduct of a judicial officer. This requires urgent investigations to be undertaken, before public confidence in the Judiciary is completely eroded,” reads part of the statement.
LSK Chairperson, Nelson Havi, added his voice to the push, asking the JSC to take disciplinary action against the judge, failure to which the organ’s image will be tarnished.
“JSC must initiate the process of removal of the Judge on its own, without any further delay. It is so ordered,” said Havi.
Havi also admitted that Sonko was removed from office unlawfully, stating that such incidences were making Kenyans lose confidence in the justice organ.
According to the Constitution, a judge can only be removed from office by the JSC in its own volition, or upon petition by another person to the JSC.
“The removal of a judge may be initiated only by the Judicial Service Commission acting on its own motion, or on the petition of any person to the Judicial Service Commission,” constitution of Kenya 2010.
