Mutua: Corruption cases should be heard within 3 months

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua on Tuesday urged Chief Justice David Maraga to set up a system that would ensure graft cases are concluded within three months.

According to Mutua, the Judiciary should consider having corruption cases heard on a daily basis in the same way election petitions are heard continuously and within a set period.

“I urge the Chief Justice to consider having corruption cases heard on a daily basis including weekends so that they are concluded within a period of 3 months from the date of taking plea,” said Mutua.

“In the same way elections petitions are heard continuously and with a set period, so should corruption cases. That way the accused are afforded justice and the people of Kenya also receive justice.”

The Maendeleo Chap Chap Party leader noted that the delay in prosecution of graft cases not only provides loopholes for case interference but also lowers public confidence in the judicial system.

“Kenyans are losing patience with corruption cases that seem never to end and where suspects continue walking free on the streets and even organizing campaigns using the same suspected stolen public monies.

”This fast tracking of cases, for example from inception to a decision within say a period of three months will ensure there will not be opportunity for unscrupulous suspects to tamper with evidence,” said Mutua in a press address at his Mavoko office.

The Governor was speaking in reference to the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal that has seen Treasury CS Henry Rotich, his PS Kamau Thugge and 26 government officials charged with abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud.

”As a people, we expect that this current case involving the Arror and Kimwarer Dams will be concluded by October 31st of this year and the other ongoing cases of NYS saga etc can be concluded by end of August, 2019,” he said.

Mutua challenged Parliament to facilitate the Judiciary with resources, to enable fast tracking of public interest matters.

”As a country and indeed the President and Parliament, we must deploy enough resources to the judiciary to hire more magistrates, Judges, researchers and finance other related expenditures in order to build capacity to try and render decisions within the speedy time-lines,” said the Machakos Governor.

He noted that to have corruption cases fast tracked, judicial officers gazetted to hear corruption cases should be freed from the normal judicial work so as to concentrate and hear these matters speedily.