Senators, MPs fault JSC over Shollei

By MOSES NJAGIH

NAIROBI; KENYA: A section of legislators have castigated the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over its handling of Judiciary Chief Registrar Gladys Shollei.

About ten Senators and Members of Parliament faulted the process of the JSC probe claiming it contravened the law, which dictates how people in the Judiciary should be investigated.

At a Press conference at the Senate yesterday, the leaders led by Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki and Senate Devolution Committee Chairman Kipchumba Murkomen said it was wrong for the JSC to contemplate sending Mrs Shollei on compulsory leave before informing her of the charges under investigation.

Mr Murkomen said that the JSC Act requires that persons under investigation be informed of the matters under probe and be given a chance to be heard before a decision to send them on leave is taken.

“It is only after she is given these avenues that the JSC can consider suspending her. What we are seeing now is that a committee went to write a report recommending her suspension, ignoring the stipulations of the law,” said Murkomen.

Press

Kindiki said that even anti-corruption related laws require that a person be suspended on completion of investigations and upon finding the person culpable.

“We are not defending anybody but we are saying that the right procedure must be followed. We cannot be trying and convicting public officials through the Press. Let the right procedure be followed and the law take its course,” said Murkomen.

Kindiki questioned the haste with which JSC had acted, including recommending the suspension of the Chief Registrar and having the information leaked to the Press.

The leaders alleged Shollei could be a victim of the ongoing succession plans in the Judiciary. “We feel some people who see her as a possible candidate to replace Mutunga now want to spread a smear campaign to tarnish her name,” said nominated Senator Zipporah Kittony.