NAIROBI, Kenya May 4-The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has approved the removal of Justice Said Chitembwe.
JSC said in a statement Wednesday that it is satisfied with the results of an investigation carried out on the judge following petitions filed against him.
“At its meeting of 27th April 2022, the JSC considered the report of the panel on the petition initiated by the Commission on its own motion and is satisfied that the Petition discloses grounds for the removal of Hon. Mr. Justice Chitembwe Said Juma from office, pursuant to the provisions of Article 168(1) of the Constitution,” JSC said.
The commission said it had forwarded its recommendation to President Uhuru Kenyatta for action as required by law.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was the main complainant who accused the judge of corruption.
On November 22, the JSC initiated proceedings against Chitembwe after Sonko released video clips, social media posts and cell phone recordings implicating the judge for corruption.
Chitembwe at the time dismissed the allegations saying he was unfairly targeted.
On November 25, the JSC also summoned Sonko to testify as a witness on videos he posted linking Chitembwe to corruption.
Several petitions were filed with JSC, including by Sonko’s aide Francis Wambua, all seeking a probe on the judge’s conduct. In his petition, Wambua said the judge should be investigated claiming he received bribes to influence the outcome of cases touching on Sonko.
“That the learned Judge used his office as if it was an enterprise and the receipt of bribes by him enabled him to package judgments specifically for the bribers and this is against the spirit of the Constitution and the law,” Wambua claimed in his petition.
He alleged that the bribes were channeled through the judges’ brother Amana Saidi Jirani.
JSC gave Chitembwe two weeks to respond to petitions.
Chief Justice Martha Koome, who chairs the commission, wrote to the judge on November 22 asking him to file his responses within 14 days.
“Upon deliberations, the JSC has resolved that the petitions be served upon the honourable judge for his response within 14 days of service,” CJ Koome said in the letter to Justice Chitembwe.
Thereafter, she said, the petition and the judges’ response will be considered by a panel that has been set up by the commission.
The video leaks posted on social media by Sonko have raised serious integrity questions on Justice Chitembwe who has downplayed them insisting that they have been edited and manipulated to malign his name.
About The Author
