Chief Justice Willy Mutunga fails to appear before House team over JSC audit report

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga Tuesday failed to appear before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to findings of an audit report on the Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The CJ was expected at 10am but journalists waiting to cover the event were informed by committee members that he had to attend to other urgent official duties.

Committee Chairman Ababu Namwamba told The Standard they received a letter from Mutunga stating he was attending the swearing-in ceremony of 11 recently appointed judges.

"He did not turn up because he was summoned by President Uhuru Kenyatta to attend the swearing-in of judges at State House. We received a letter to that effect and we will reschedule and get back on when he will be appearing," the Budalang'i MP said on phone.

The House team that plays an oversight role on public spending had asked the Office of the Auditor General to audit the Judiciary's accounts.

This was meant to shed more light on alleged misappropriation of Sh2.2 billion by former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Gladys Shollei.

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But a member who sought anonymity said Mutunga's failure to appear before the committee was a plot to frustrate the process.

The MP said they will push for Mutunga's appearance.

"Their plan to frustrate us just like they did with the Legal Affairs committee will not sail through this time. Everyone who was summoned has appeared and Mutunga is not above the law. He must appear," maintained the lawmaker.