Courts of shame: Shocking decay in the corridors of justice

Bomet law courts Executive officer Miriam Sitienei shows the cell for suspects.

They are supposed to be Kenya’s symbols of justice and equality but most courts across the country are in shambles. Some magistrates have no courtrooms, while some courtrooms also serve as holding cells for suspects.

In a number of law courts, magistrates share pit latrines with the public. Some confess they live under the shadow of uncertainty as they mingle with potentially dangerous suspects, while others sit in courtrooms that could collapse any time.