Eight magistrates were sacked yesterday by the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board for misconduct.
They are Bomet senior resident magistrate Timothy Okello, Siaya principal magistrate William Chepseba and Kericho magistrate Jacinta Dibondo.
Others are Samuel Mogaka, Roselyn Oganyo, Jessi Njagi, Lucy Kathure and Theresia Matheka.
Board chairman Sharad Rao said 29 other magistrates out of 36 vetted were found to be suitable to continue serving.
Okello was dismissed for issuing a dishonoured cheque and Rao said this could lead to cases of compromise.
Chepseba was accused of “rushing through rulings” and is said to have a deposit higher than his salary in his bank account.
Dibondo allegedly received a Sh70,000 bribe to influence a case and also had unexplained bank deposits of up to Sh1 million.
Rao said Mogaka’s account was overdrawn, adding that this could lead to cases of compromise.
Oganyo, Njagi and Kathure were reported as having unexplained sums of money in their accounts.
Rao said after vetting Justice Abida Aroni afresh, she was found to be clean and suitable to continue serving as a judge.
He said the board has worked tirelesly since February 23, 2011, and it has vetted all judges, except Nicholas Ombija.
The chairman said Ombija obtained orders from the Court of Appeal to block his vetting, but the board has gone to the Supreme Court to set aside the ruling and have him vetted.
“The board hopes the appeal will be heard before JMVB’s term expires and is able to act in compliance of whoever the Supreme Court decides,” Rao said.
The board’s mandate ends in three months and it will release a detailed report before then.
“Vetting has reinforced into Kenya the idea of accountability and lifestyle audits. The excercise was unique in the Commonwealth and the structure that was laboriously established should not be dismantled,” Rao said.
He said the vetting was thorough and should be used as a template to vet all civil servants.