CJ Koome dares Ruto to table evidence of judges engaged in corruption

When Chief Justice Martha Koome handed over a certificate to President William Ruto during his swearing-in at Kasarani Stadium on Sept 13, 2022. [George Njunge, Standard]

Chief Justice Martha Koome has told off President William Ruto over his attacks on the Judiciary, challenging him to table evidence of corruption against judicial officers. 

Koome, who issued her first verbal response to the President, warned that Ruto’s threat to ignore adverse court orders and blanket allegations of corruption amounted to an overthrow of the Constitution.

She challenged Ruto to follow the constitutional process of tabling complaints against judicial officers, stating that the Judicial Service Commission, which she heads, was ready to handle petitions against corrupt judges.

“Such complaints must be lodged and processed in the manner prescribed by the Constitution. The days are gone when officers were hounded out of office through name-calling and shaming,” she said during the formal handover of the office of the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary by the outgoing registrar Anne Amadi.

“The Commission will only act on the basis of evidence and not on blanket statements or allegations that have not been substantiated. Doing otherwise will mean an overthrow of the Constitution and the rule of law that the Commission will not do,” she added.

Ruto has recently faced criticism for his assertion that corrupt judicial officers were colluding with litigants to defeat his policies in court, stating that he would weed out corruption in the Koome-led arm of government.

The president has claimed that alleged beneficiaries of corruption were using their influence to thwart crucial development projects for the maintenance of the status quo.

“It is not possible that we respect the Judiciary while a few individuals who are beneficiaries of corruption are using corrupt judicial officials to block our development projects,” Ruto said. “We are a democracy, we respect and will protect the independence of the judiciary. What we will not allow is judicial tyranny and judicial impunity.”

His remarks have been deemed as an attempt to emasculate the Judiciary, as many have accused him of doing to Parliament, where he enjoys a near unquestionable support courtesy of his overwhelming numbers.

Many have argued that the president intends to intimidate the courts into issuing favourable rulings. The Law Society of Kenya yesterday staged demonstrations to protest Ruto’s assault on the Judiciary, with its officials calling on judicial officers to stand up against attempted intimidation.

Koome urged judges, judicial officers and Judiciary staff to continue their duties by their oaths of office.