Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has called on the Judiciary, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and National Police Service (NPS) to establish the circumstances under which Makadara Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti was shot inside court premises.
In a statement on Monday, June 17, Havi alleged that the wife of the police officer who shot the magistrate was reportedly battling cancer and was brought to court on a life support machine.
The former LSK president demanded the JSC, DPP, and NPS inquire about the circumstances that led to the magistrate allegedly cancelling the bond for the officer's wife.
"An inquiry must be undertaken by the JSC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the National Police Service to establish the circumstances under which the Honourable Magistrate is alleged to have cancelled the bond of an accused person we understand was undergoing palliative care for cancer, and is said to have been brought to Court on life support equipment.
"If that is the case, that was an inconsiderate, inhumane, and injudicious act by the Honourable Magistrate," Havi claimed.
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Kivuti was shot by a police officer at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi on June 13 after she reportedly canceled the officer’s wife's bond for jumping bail and failing to provide a satisfactory explanation.
The magistrate was admitted to the Metropolitan Hospital in Buruburu for treatment, where she later succumbed to her injuries on Saturday, June 15.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), two police constables were also injured during the incident and were admitted to the Metropolitan Hospital in Buruburu.
President William Ruto on Monday, June 17, directed the National Police Service to ensure the safety of judicial officers at all times, terming the incident unacceptable.
“Under no circumstances should they (police) abandon this essential obligation or ever turn from their duty of protection and become threats to the safety and security of the people. What happened to Hon. Kivuti is unacceptable; it should never happen again,” President Ruto remarked.