SUPREME COURT INTERFERES WITH VETTING PROCESS; SHARAD

Jan 28, 2015 Ivy Keziah Kisumu, National, News 0

The Supreme Court ruling interferes and limits the dispensation of the vetting process of judges and magistrates the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board (JMVB) Chairman has said.

Speaking in Kisumu the Chairman of Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board Mr. Sharad Rao said their role is too restricted to determining the suitability of the judges and magistrate from the date of appointment to August 27th 2010.

The Judiciary Service Commission (JSC) has the mandate to discipline the judges for the entire period from the appointment of the judges and magistrates to August 27th 2010, to their retirement, said Mr Sharad.

He also said that the number of those who have been vetted is big and only a few who have been found unsuitable to be in the office.

Recently through a vetting process only 13 judges were found unsuitable according to section 18 of the Vetting and magistrates Act. However JSC reinstated them back to judiciary, he added.

Mr. Sharad said with the vetting process a lot has changed in terms of service delivery on the part of the judiciary to Kenyans.

The board has done a lot, It has restored public confidence in the court system, service delivery and general the flow of information, said JMVB.

Mr. Sharad said that apart from corruption they vet the judges and magistrates based on their competence in writing and making judgments communication, fairness, temperamental matters and their contribution to the public.

Chief Executive Officer Judge Rueben Chirchir said that the vetting board will vet 60 magistrates in western region covering 12 counties.