Tribunal to probe corrupt judges begins sittings

Questions are being asked about the validity of verdicts handed down by many of Kenya's judges, as a tribunal opens this week to investigate their corrupt behaviour. Peter Kiama, a programme officer with the Kenya Human Rights Commission, says it is expected that a number of appeals will be launched to revisit old cases as the tribunal does its work. He says litigants who feel justice was not done and want their cases reopened, must be allowed to do so. "We are very clear on this. The tribunals should be given space to do their job. But it doesn't end there. If a litigant wants a case reopened, why not?," Kiama told IRIN. "The judicial system must give them a chance," he said. "It is their right." President Mwai Kibaki earlier this month suspended 23 judges, and set up a tribunal to investigate their conduct, in a move widely seen as an attempt at restoring public confidence in Kenya's judiciary. The move followed the release on 1 Oct of a damning report accusing a number of judges, magistrates and other court officials of gross misconduct and abuse of justice. The document, known as the Ringera report, also described Kenyan court registries as "a haven of corrupt officials", where court fees were frequently inflated by means of collusion between court officials and advocates. The tribunal's mandate is to investigate the conduct of the judges and their alleged involvement in corruption and unethical practices. A number of judges have opted to step down rather than face the tribunal. The judges under investigation are charged with a number of crimes, including soliciting huge bribes from litigants appearing in cases before them and delaying judgements for as long as five years. The report also cited several cases in which judges assumed ownership of property under dispute. A separate tribunal has been set up to investigate 82 allegedly corrupt magistrates around the country.