CJ Koome says Kikuyu Court remarks based on security briefings, not protestors
The Chief Justice said her comments should not be interpreted to refer to protests in other places or to those facing unrelated charges.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has explained that her earlier remarks about the burning of the Kikuyu Law Court and nearby government offices were based only on initial security reports related to the June 25 attack, and were not aimed at casting a wide judgment on protesters or other incidents.
In a statement released as public debate continued and amid a July 21 reference by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Koome said her comments were informed by the situation at hand during her site visit and not intended to influence any legal proceedings.
“My remarks when I visited the site were made in direct response to the attack on the Kikuyu Law Court and reflected the security briefing received at the time,” she said on Wednesday.
Koome visited the court on June 26, a day after it was torched, and condemned the destruction in a statement posted on the Judiciary’s official X account.
She said the briefings she received at the time pointed to the involvement of individuals brought in from outside Kikuyu, who appeared to have deliberately targeted the court and surrounding government offices.
The Chief Justice said her comments should not be interpreted to refer to protests in other places or to those facing unrelated charges.
Her statement comes amid growing concern after the ODPP relied on her earlier remarks in terrorism-related cases.
Koome clarified that her comments were not meant to influence prosecutorial choices or interfere with the independence of legal processes.
“I respect the independence of investigative and prosecutorial institutions and reiterate the Judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and fair trial rights,” she said.
She also reaffirmed the Judiciary’s loyalty to the Constitution and its mandate to serve all Kenyans fairly and independently.
“I wish to reassure all Kenyans that the Judiciary is fully committed to the Constitution and the rule of law,” she added.
Koome appealed to the public to understand the context in which her earlier remarks were made and maintained that the Judiciary continues to operate with neutrality and justice at its core.
