High Court suspends repeat police recruitment in 36 centers

High Court judge Isaac Lenaola has suspended the planned repeat of police hiring in 36 centres until September 11, when a case filed by 199 people who had succeeded in the first recruitment will be determined.

Justice Lenaola's order comes a day after High Court judge Anthony Kaniaru, sitting in Kisumu, also stopped a similar exercise that was scheduled to take place at Isanjiro Primary School in Malava, Kakamega County.

(READ: Court stops repeat police recruitment at a centre in Kakamega)

Justice Kiniaru ordered that the process be halted until a case filed by 27 people who had succeeded in the first recruitment round is determined.

The National Police Service Commission early this month cancelled the results of police hiring in 36 centres across the country after investigations exposed irregularities.

The order affected 1,215 recruits from 21 counties.

The investigation followed allegations of widespread bribery in the July 14 recruitment.

(READ: Police agency revokes hiring of 1,215 recruits)

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Independent Police Oversight Authority and other rights groups pointed out the irregularities.

Police Service Commission chairman Johnson Kavuludi, who announced the cancellation, said there would be repeats in the affected centres.

Mr Kavuludi warned that all government officials who engaged in malpractices during the recruitment would be prosecuted for corruption and other professional misconduct.