Judiciary bars suspects from concealing faces in court

The Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) and Kenya Judiciary Staff Association (KJSA), in a joint statement, have expressed grave concerns about the safety of judicial officers following recent tragic events.

This comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of Justice Monica Kivuti during a live court session at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi.

One of the proposed measures to enhance court security in light of this incident is a ban on individuals entering court premises with concealed faces, except for verified medical or security reasons.

This initiative aims to safeguard judicial personnel as they carry out their official duties, as some individuals appearing in court may be criminal suspects who need to be visibly identified and monitored.

Additionally, the judiciary has declared it will cease conducting any judicial proceedings in temporary structures, whether tents, containers, open-air spaces, or otherwise.

Chief Justice Koome emphasised, "Judicial services will no longer be offered in makeshift structures to avoid exposing judicial staff to security risks and ensure security, especially where infrastructure is inadequate, is not compromised."

Furthermore, the judiciary plans to allocate more resources to enhance safety and improve infrastructure.

The associations have stipulated that judicial proceedings will only take place in professionally approved buildings.

They underscored the necessity of armed officers being present during court sessions and insisted on strict adherence to security protocols, including the confiscation of firearms not authorized for court personnel.

In addition to these measures, KMJA and KJSA have announced a peaceful protest scheduled from June 19–24, 2024, to highlight issues of poor working conditions and insecurity within the courts.

This protest also serves as a tribute to the late magistrate Monica Kivuti as they mourn her untimely death.