The Judiciary has repudiated allegations levelled against it through media headlines that it is one of the most corrupt public Institutions.
In this regard the Judiciary noted that the negative media reports are elaborate and malicious schemes of misinformation and disinformation orchestrated to injure the reputation of the Bench.
The Judiciary termed the media news based on a report released by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as untrue, and accused the fourth estate of deliberately twisting their story to unfairly target and mischievously and inappropriately put the image of the judiciary in disrepute.
In a dispatch to news rooms, the Judiciary Spokesperson, Paul Ndemo, maintained that the institution is not averse to public scrutiny neither does it define itself as a citadel of virtue where no corruption can occur.
However, Ndemo noted that the Judiciary is highly aware of the need to prevent and to fight corruption adding that in 2021 the Chief Justice, Martha Koome, invited the EACC to conduct a systemic review to identify any loopholes that could be exploited for corruption in the judiciary and assured that the findings of the review are now being implemented.
Ndemo noted that the Judiciary is among the leading public institutions that have a fully-fledged anticorruption unit supported by the Judiciary Ombudsman that processes public complaints.
“Other measures to deal with corruption include the recent directive by the Chief Justice that every court forms an Integrity Committee which will be responsible for enhancing integrity at the court level,” Ndemo elaborated.
Moreover, the Spokesperson underscored that automation and digitization of services and general court processes as yet another measure that the Judiciary is taking to enhance the fight against corruption.
He enumerated other measures to curtail corruption in Judiciary including E-filing, virtual courts, e-processing of payments as well as offering varied registry services online as some of the critical ways the Judiciary curtails corruption.
Ndemo further urged Kenyans of goodwill to submit a formal complaint rather than engaging in a smear campaign that disenfranchises consumer of court services.
He also urged the media to continue with her sacred task of watchdog but to do it above-board.
“I urge the media to play its role in a professional manner and to avoid disinformation, as is the case in this story,” stressed Ndemo.
He at the same urged the public to remain vigilant and demand for corruption-free governance across all sectors of the society, particularly in the public sector.
By Michael Omondi
