Judges not against graft war — officials

The Kenya Magistrate and Judges Association has dismissed claims the Judiciary is hampering the war on corruption.

Secretary general Derrick Kuto on Friday said there is a wrong narrative being peddled against the Judiciary and its officers in how they are discharging their duties. His remarks came after some bloggers took the #JudiciaryMassageParlor campaign online to highlight the alleged rot in the system.

The association responded to the allegations.

“We are here to express KMJA’s concerns about the sustained and ill-advised public attacks and directives against the Judiciary and individual judges and magistrates,” Kuto said at the Milimani law courts.

The courts decide cases purely based on the law and evidence placed before them, he said.

The association reiterated that suspects are presumed innocent until proved guilty — and no one should be condemned unheard.

Kuto said convicting an accused person where there is no evidence is illegal, but where there is evidence, the courts convict accordingly. There is evidence to that, he said.

He reaffirmed their commitment to the fight against corruption and urged the public not to fall prey to the “twisted narratives”.

They said the graft war will not be won by mudslinging and chest-thumping, but rather by taking time to understand the constitutional framework under which cases are handled.

“We will continue to determine all other cases by merit and uphold the rule of law stipulated by the Constitution,” the association said.

During the National Anti-Corruption Conference at Bomas of Kenya, CJ David Maraga warned against blaming the courts when cases are dismissed because there is no evidence.