Meru court comes out best in speedy conclusion of cases

Meru Resident Judge Justice Alfred Mabeya (left) together with Chief Magistrate Hannah Ndung’u and other judicial officers and lawyers on May 20, 2019 display a certificate issued to the local magistrates’ courts for emerging the first in the country in speedy conclusion of cases. The High Court division was also ranked first countrywide. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • It registered a 68 percent clearance of cases in 360 days, eight points ahead of Kiambu (60).
  • In the overall performance of courts with a caseload of above 500 cases, Meru High Court’s criminal division was number two in the country.
  • The court has only six courtrooms despite having four judges and seven magistrates.

The Meru courthouse has emerged the best in speedy hearing and determination of cases in a countrywide ranking in service delivery and performance management by the Judiciary.

The court, which is among the most litigious in the country, overcame the challenges of congestion and high number of cases to beat 45 others in 2017/2018.

It registered a 68 percent clearance of cases in 360 days, eight points ahead of Kiambu (60), Kisii (58), Mombasa (56), Kisumu (45), Migori (45) and Eldoret (40).

BOTTOM POSITIONS

Murang’a High Court (39), Milimani Criminal Division (34) and Machakos (30) held the bottom three positions in the category of courts with a caseload of above 500.

In the overall performance of courts with a caseload of above 500 cases, Meru High Court’s criminal division, which is ranked among the most litigious attracting 400 cases last year, was number two in the country.

Machakos led in the category with 100 percent performance, same as Meru, with Mombasa being ranked third at 98 percent while Milimani criminal division was fourth at 95.18 percent.

LAND COURT

The High Court’s Environment and Land Court shone, posting a clearance rate of 268 percent with a productivity of 694 cases, to beat nine other courts that were ranked in the evaluation report.

The court which is headed by Justice Lucy Mbugua had the highest number of land cases in the country.

It was followed by Kakamega at 134 percent while Machakos was third at 106 percent.

Meru’s star performance was in its magistrates’ courts which recorded first position in the overall performance, narrowly edging out Sotik, followed by Ogembo magistrates’ courts.

Meru magistrate’s court posted a clearance rate of 237 percent in the category of courts with over 2,000 cases, followed by Embu which recorded 225 percent.

RANKING WELCOME

Meru Resident Judge Alfred Mabeya together with the Meru Bar Association Chairman Ken Muriuki welcomed the ranking saying it had taken concerted efforts of all stakeholders in the judicial system.

The court has only six courtrooms despite having four judges and seven magistrates.

“This is where we intend to be. I thank God for the opportunity to serve the people of Meru, the litigants and the legal fraternity.

“We have challenges of space; even the press carried a story of the deputy registrar operating from a room converted from a toilet. We have the highest number of murder cases with the nearest station handling half of what we have,” said Justice Mabeya.