Tribunal probing Justice Mutava over Goldenberg begins sittings

Tribunal probing Justice Mutava over Goldenberg begins sittings

The Tribunal formed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to probe the conduct of former High Court Judge Joseph Mutava has began its sittings.

Acting on recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), President Kenyatta formed the Tribunal to investigate Justice Mutava on three counts, which could lead to his dismissal from the Judiciary.

Since March 2012, a dozen complaints by the Law Society, Kenya Airports Authority, individual lawyers, a judge and a civil society group have been filed against Mutava.

Mutava caused uproar in 2013 when he acquitted businessman Kamlesh Pattni of all charges related to the Goldenberg scandal on grounds that he would not get a fair trial because the case had dragged on for two decades.

Justice Mutava was suspended in May 2015 on the recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) which found him guilty of misconduct while handling three cases.

The JSC sub-committee investigating him further asked the President to appoint a tribunal to further probe the conduct of the judge on the basis of three out of the nine complaints that the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) had filed against him.

A statement signed by JSC deputy chairperson Prof. Christine Mango said that the commission was satisfied that the complaints disclosed sufficient grounds to petition the President to appoint a tribunal to investigate the conduct of the judge.

LSK filed the complaint against the judge following a ruling he made terminating the Ksh 5.8 billion Goldenberg scandal case against businessman Kamlesh Pattni.

The ruling caused a public uproar with civil society and legal rights activists including the International Center for Policy and Conflict (ICPC) and LSK questioning the judge’s credibility and describing his decision to acquit Pattni as being ‘miscarriage of justice.

Tags:

kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta Tribunal Mutava High Court Judge Justice Joseph Mutava goldenberg scandal High Court Judge Joseph Mutava Justice Joseph Mutava Kamlesh Pattni

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories