When Teso North MP Oku Kaunya hosted officers from the Judiciary in September 2021 for the inspection of a premise that was to host a temporary law court in Amagoro, residents in Teso North subcounty breathed a great sigh of relief.
Inhabitants of the subcounty then said completion and opening of the court premise would limit long-distance travel by the people of Teso North to Busia town – the location of the only law courts in Busia county.
The project, according to arrangements from the MP's office was to be completed by the end of October 2021 and a magistrate subsequently posted to the new law courts in Amagoro town.
But 20 months later, the law courts are still not operational.
A visit by the Star to the facility on Monday revealed a multimillion project wasting away in a bushy area and exhibiting a total absence of human activity.
What was meant to be a cell for hosting suspects brought to the court has been turned into a crickets’ home where the tubular insects chirp all day as they attract females – obviously for mating.
The facility, going by its dusty interior only signifies it may have never been opened from the time the contractor completed work.
Spiders are having a field day inside the investment – continuously weaving webs – as they lay traps to prey.
The bush next to the entrance of the law courts one resident commented may signify those who proposed the project may not have been genuine in their proposal to have an operational court in the town.
On Monday, residents who spoke to the Star appealed to the Judiciary to post a magistrate to the court to stop the facility from wasting away.
Kevin Etyang, a resident of Amagoro town said the people of Teso North have for long suffered travelling to Busia Law Courts in Busia town whenever they have cases to attend to.
Changara, the furthest zone in Busia county on the Northern part is approximately 100 kilometres from Busia town.
“We want to thank our MP Oku Kaunya for his efforts in initiating the idea of bringing the law courts to Amagoro. But from the time the court premise was completed, we have not seen it being opened,” Etyang said.
“We see people with petty offences every day traveling to Busia Law Courts yet Busia town is far. From Amagoro to Busia one has to spend at least Sh600 to attend one court session. Posting a magistrate here will help the people of Teso North a great deal.”
Another resident, Fredrick Omoding appealed to Chief Justice Martha Koome to speed up the process to make the court work.
“We are calling on Chief Justice Martha Koome to hear our pleas and post a magistrate to this law court. We have a decent structure in the name of a court but with no activity,” Omoding said.
“Travelling to Busia for people in Teso North is a nightmare. Busia is far and opening this court will cut the distance we travel to attend court sessions.”
On September 27, 2021, Kaunya hosted officers from the Judiciary in Amarogo town where he led an inspection of the building that was to be refurbished, remodeled and turned into a court.
The building used to house offices for Teso North deputy county commissioner. Part of the building currently acts as offices for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
The restructuring of the building followed the transfer of the Teso North deputy county commissioner to a new house constructed by the national government.
Kaunya then said the completion of the law courts and subsequent posting of a magistrate will cut the cost for residents and police in the subcounty to travel to Busia to attend court.
“Upon completion, the court will reduce the cost of travel on the residents for attending court sessions in Busia and on the police for transporting suspects to Busia for court trials,” the MP said.
After rehabilitation works for the building started, the Star spoke to a senior officer in the Judiciary who said a magistrate would be posted to the new law courts to help offload the case backlog in Teso North.
“We are hoping that by October (2021), it could be operational. We have over 4,000 cases in the magistrate’s court a bulk of which are from the area (Teso North),” the officer said on the phone.
“Having a court there will assist members of the public to have easy access to the court instead of having to come all the way to Busia and some of them come from the border of Busia and Mount Elgon in Bungoma county.”
The officer said many residents in the subcounty face difficulties while traveling to Busia town to get access to justice because of the long distance they have to travel in their quest to seek judicial services. A High Court and a magistrate’s court are located in Busia town.
“We are hoping that at least we will make their journey shorter. But this is a temporary arrangement as we wait for our court building in Malaba. We are hoping to have it completed. It is a bigger court because it is meant to hold four magistrates,” the officer said.
The officer said besides bringing relief to residents in the subcounty, police officers who escort suspects to court will have their journey reduced since it won’t be necessary for the law enforcers to travel to Busia town.
The High Court and magistrate’s court in Busia town have been serving residents in the seven subcounties of Teso North, Teso South, Nambale, Butula, Samia, Matayos and Bunyala.
Busia County has a population of 893,681 going by the Kenya Population and Housing Census Report of 2019.
