The Judiciary has decided to scale down all Court activities for the next two weeks in light of the first Coronavirus case confirmation in Kenya. Speaking to the pres son Sunday after a National Council for Administration of Justice meting, Chief Justice David Maraga said the scaling down, which starts on Monday 16th will allow for further consultations and setting up measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.
Furthermore, prisoners and remandees will not be brought to Court. With new arrests, cases will be dealt with in police stations except the serious ones, in accordance with guidelines which will be issued by the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai. “Hearings and mentions of all civil cases in courts are hereby suspended with immediate effect,” he said, adding that taking plea in serious criminal cases will go on.
All Judiciary officials and staff will continue going to their offices, although there will be no open Court appearances. “Judges in all stations will in the meantime review deserving cases already identified by the prison authorities and issue appropriate revision orders in an effort to decongest prisons,” said the CJ.
Magistrate courts will also review bail terms for those who are in remand. Training programmes, conferences, workshops have also been suspended until further notice, and foreign travel for the next thirty days for the Judiciary staff has also been suspended except for exceptional circumstances.