The ongoing murder case of late lawyer Willie Kimani has taken a new twist after a lobby group wrote to Chief Justice Martha Koome seeking for the removal of Justice Jessie Lessit from the case.
According to Sheria Mtaani and Shadrack Wambui, Justice Koome should direct Justice Lessit to abandon the case and appoint a new judge, since the former was recently promoted to the Court of Appeal.
The lobby group further notes that thousands of cases have been affected by the recent appointments in the judiciary, adding that it is unfair for the CJ to allow Justice lessit conclude the Willie Kimani case, yet there is no communication regarding the other affected cases.
“…This is because the court does not have the jurisdiction to deal with High Court matters following its elevation to the Court of Appeal… Could it be that my lady has information that the other honourable justices concluded the matters that they were handling before their elevation to the Court of Appeal?” the group posed.
Read More
File image of Justice Jessie Lessit. [Photo: Courtesy]
“It is therefore baffling and surprising to the public that my lady has proceeded to treat differently consumers of justice that are the same and equal without offering the country an explanation,” the group added.
The lobby group now wants the CJ to remove Lessit from the case, failure to which they have threatened to take legal action.
"Further and unless my lady withdraws her directions to Justice Lesiit, we undertake to take the appropriate legal action available in the circumstances in order to quash and invalidate the impugned decision,” the letter reads.
The letter seeking Justice Lessit’s removal from the case comes barely a week after she committed to finalizing the matter before moving to her new station as Court of Appeal judge.
