CJ Maraga defends Judiciary and officials

Chief Justice David Maraga during a past event. [Photo by Sammy Omingo/Standard]

The Chief Justice has defended judges against criticism by senior government officials.

Justice David Maraga yesterday said judges gave their verdicts based on the weight of the evidence presented before them.

The CJ broke his silence after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Tuesday accused the Judiciary of working at the whims of the Opposition and civil society. Maraga said the CS should have appealed the decision by High Court judge George Odunga instead of crying foul in public.

"The courts deal with these matters as they come. The evidence presented before them, and they deal with those matters as they come. If one is unhappy with orders or judgements given by judges, there is always room to make an appeal," said the CJ. “I'm not aware of any part of the Judiciary that has been captured by the Opposition or the media.”

Appearing before a parliamentary committee, Dr Matiang'i termed the orders by Justice Odunga, now sitting at the High Court in Machakos, as aimed at embarrassing the Executive and claimed that 'a clique of evil judges' were working in concert with the Opposition and civil society lawyers.

Justice Maraga, who is also the chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, noted that despite the criticism, no complaint had been filed against any of the judges who dealt with lawyer Miguna Miguna’s deportation.

"I have not received complaints that some judges are colluding with civil society or the Opposition,” he said.