Vetting board issues verdict on four judges
The Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board chairman Sharad Rao. Four High Court judges will know the fate of their careers in the Judiciary August 3, 2012. FILE
What you need to know:
THE VERDICT:
- Vetting Board clears Justices Wanjiru Karanja and Jessie Lessit as fit to serve in the Judiciary.
- Justice Jeanne Gacheche unfit to serve in the Judiciary; Board says judge used her judicial power inappropriately.
- Justice Mbogholi Msagha fit to serve in the Judiciary.
Four High Court judges will Friday know the fate of their careers in the Judiciary.
The Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board is expected to announce its findings on the suitability of the judges.
The Board will make public results of interviews on Justices Mbogholi Msagha, Jeanne Gacheche, Jessie Lesiit, and Nicholas Ombija.
The announcements will be made in the absence of chairman Sharad Rao, who is out of the country. Mr Rao’s deputy Roselyn Odede will take charge.
The last time the Board made its findings public was on July 20 when it sent home two judges, Roselyn Nambuye and Mohammed Ibrahim home and cleared three other judges to continue working in the Judiciary.
The Board declared Supreme Court Judge Mohammed Ibrahim and Court of Appeal Judge Roselyn Nambuye unfit to continue serving in the Judiciary because of delaying judgments and rulings.
Supreme Court Judge Jackton Ojwang and Court of Appeal Judges Hannah Okwengu and Kariuki Kihara were found suitable to continue serving.
Three Court of Appeal Judges whose findings were postponed have been waiting anxiously for the results.
The judges wrote to the Board through Chief Justice Willy Mutunga protesting that the decision to suspend the announcement.
The judges told the CJ that the decision of the Board to defer its decision has caused panic, despondency and metal agony to them.
The Board, while announcing the findings of other Court of Appeal judges, postponed the matter until the judges issue judgement on a case they were handling on the election date. The judgment was delivered on Tuesday.
Dr Mutunga wrote to the Board requesting the fast-tracking of the determination of cases in respect of Court of Appeal Judges Martha Koome, Kalpana Rawal and David Maraga.
In a response to the CJ, the Board indicated to him that it was making every effort to conclude the determinations and announce its decisions on the three judges, possibly by August 2, 2012.
