Judges in Akasha case clean, David Maraga says

Chief Justice David Maraga has asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to unmask individuals behind social media campaigns “aimed at recklessly besmirching the reputation of officers in the Judiciary”.

Justice Maraga said reports linking the officers to corrupt deals of the Akasha family are malicious.

“We find the reports unacceptable because they have the potential to demoralise the officers and undermine the administration of justice in the country,” Justice said in the letter to DCI boss George Kinoti.

MINIMAL ROLE

Mr Maraga said Justice Chacha Mwita, who is accused of receiving bribes from Baktash and Abdulsalam Akasha, has never worked in Mombasa or Malindi, Kilifi County where their drug trafficking cases were being heard. 

“Even his private practice before he joined the Judiciary never took him to those places. We, therefore, find the link to the Akasha case malicious and obviously intended to intimidate the judge and thus influence his decisions in other cases,” the Chief Justice added.  

Mr Maraga also cited the criticism levelled at Justice Dora Chepkwony, saying her role in the Akasha case was very minimal.

The President of the Judiciary said it was clear there are people behind the social media campaigns against the judiciary, requesting Mr Kinoti to unearth them fast and facilitate their prosecution.

“As we have said before, we do not condone corruption but to have our judicial officers recklessly besmirched is unacceptable,” the Chief Justice said.  

He urged the DCI chief to provide the Judiciary with information of corruption involving judiciary officers after reports from the US indicated that the Akasha brothers had confessed to have bought their freedom by compromising members of some judges, lawyers and police officers.