Politics and policy

Vetting board finds Judges Ibrahim, Nambuye 'unsuitable to hold office'

Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Ibrahim (pictured) and Court of Appeal Judge Roslyn Nambuye have been found to be unsuitable to hold office in the judiciary. File

Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Ibrahim (pictured) and Court of Appeal Judge Roslyn Nambuye have been found to be unsuitable to hold office in the judiciary. File 

In Summary

  • Board also sacks Judges Riaga Omollo, Samuel Bosire, Joseph Nyamu, and Emanuel Okubasu rejecting their appeals.
  • Board could not issue a verdict on a three judge bench headed by Justice Martha Koome until it concludes a sensitive case before it.
  • The verdict on Justice Wanjiku Karanja and Jesse Lesiit who were interviewed last Friday and on Monday will be delivered later.

Two judges have been found unsuitable to hold office by a constitutional board charged with vetting judges and magistrates.

Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Ibrahim and Court of Appeal Judge Roslyn Nambuye have been found to be unsuitable to hold office in the judiciary.

The Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Board said Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Ibrahim and Court of Appeal Judge Roslyn Nambuye guilty of delaying cases and incompetence respectively.

"This is shocking news. Those are every able lawyers," said senior counsel John Khaminwa, accusing board chairman Sharad Rao of lacking moral authority to vet judges.

"He is the one who was defending detention," Dr Khaminwa said in reference to Mr Rao's tenure as the Public Prosecutor at the Attorney General's chambers three decades ago.

The board also sacked long serving Court of Appeal Judges Riaga Omollo, Samuel Bosire, Joseph Nyamu, and Emanuel Okubasu from the Judiciary after it rejected their appeals.

The Board passed a verdict that Justice Ibrahim could not continue to hold office due to his past record of delaying cases while Justice Nambuye was accused of inefficiency and poor in time management.

Board Chairman Justice Sharad Rao however cleared Supreme Court Judge J B Ojwang, Justices Hannah Okwengu and Justice Kihara Kariuki as suitable to continue holding office.

The Board could not issue a verdict on a three judge bench headed by Justice Martha Koome until it concludes a sensitive case before it.
The verdict on Justice Wanjiku Karanja and Jesse Lesiit who were interviewed last Friday and on Monday will be delivered later.

Justice Omollo was accused of being authoritarian and lacking in transparency while Justice Bosire was sacked for mishandling the Goldberg Inquiry. Justice O'kubasu was alleged to have taken bribes.

Justice Rao said judges found unsuitable to hold office have a right to appeal.

emutai@ke.nationmedia.com