Malindi: Court cases heard via Skype to combat spread of coronavirus

The Judiciary has now resorted to technology as part of a new raft of measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in the courts.

Malindi Law Courts is currently leveraging on technology to decongest courtrooms while Taita Taveta County has embarked on a prison decongestion exercise.

Malindi Law Courts Chief Magistrate Dr Julie Aseko on Friday presided over live court proceedings via a video conferencing facility enabled by the Skype technology.

The exercise, conducted in conjunction with Malindi GK Prisons, saw 157 matters handled by the court by close of business.

In Taita Taveta, Voi High Court Presiding Judge Farah Amin processed 24 files from Wundanyi Magistrate’s Court and issued orders for release of 23 petty offenders from Wundanyi GK Prison as part of efforts to decongest prison facilities and mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

“All other courts in the country have put up measures such as hearing matters at the customer care centres established at the courts to maintain a social distance and in turn curb the spread of the virus,” read a statement to newsrooms.

“This is in line with National Council on the Administration of Justice move, chaired by Chief Justice David Maraga, to scale down court activities in compliance with the directives issued by the National Emergence and Response Committee.”