The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has condemned Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya, accused of issuing death threats to Resident Magistrate Gladys Kiama.
JSC, led by Chief Justice Martha Koome, further deployed a team to conduct investigations into the claims.
"The Commission has deployed its team to the ground to conduct further investigations and engage the agencies handling the matter with a view of taking appropriate action in line with its mandate," JSC noted in a statement.
"The Commission wishes to reiterate that the decisional independence of a Judge or judicial officers must be safeguarded at all times, and when litigants are aggrieved by the decision of the court, they may seek redress through the appellate process."
JSC further reassured all Judges, Judicial Officers, and Staff of its commitment to protect and safeguard the independence of the Judiciary.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate Salasya. LSK in a statement dated November 28, further called for the immediate arrest of the MP should the investigations substantiate the gross allegations leveled against him.
“LSk urges the DCI to conduct a thorough, speedy, and impartial investigation to determine the facts surrounding the alleged threats," read part of a statement by LSK.
"Judicial officers must be able to carry out their functions without fear of intimidation or threats while adhering strictly to the law.”
According to LSK, the safety of judicial officers is critical to maintaining the integrity of the Judiciary thus, it is imperative to provide a conducive environment for them to work.
"This call for immediate legal action is crucial to send an unequivocal and strong message that threats against judicial officers will not be tolerated in our democratic society," LSK noted.
"The Law Society of Kenya strongly condemns any form of intimidation or threats against judicial officers."
MP Salasya was accused of issuing death threats to Resident Magistrate Gladys Kiama of Kakamega Law Courts after the latter delivered a ruling ordering him to pay Kshs500,000 that he owed a businessman.
Kiama, who reported the matter to the Kakamega Police Station, alleged that Salasya confronted her outside the courtroom and threatened to kill her.
Later, he allegedly called and sent threatening messages through WhatsApp and Short Message Service (SMS).
"Having delivered a judgment in a small claim matter vide case against Hon. Peter Salasya, MP for Mumias East Constituency, where he had been sued for failing to refund the money loaned to him by the claimant, he confronted her outside the courtroom and threatened to kill her and then took off," read part of a police report.
In response to the allegations, the MP, in a recorded video posted on his X page, accused the magistrate of seeking media attention to tarnish his reputation.
"Let the Kakamega court and lawyers be informed that we are busy working. As for that woman seeking media attention, let her come, find, and arrest me," Salasya dared, accusing the court of being corrupt.
