• She said that three cases of Covid-19 was recorded on Wednesday amongst staff working in the registry at Baricho Law Courts.
• Four other personnel at Nakuru Law Courts have tested positive for Covid-19 and are self-isolating pursuant to Ministry of Health protocols.
Image: FILE
Acting Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu has ordered temporary closure of two law courts, Baricho and Nakuru after cases of Covid-19 were reported.
She said that three cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Wednesday among staff working in the registry at Baricho Law Courts.
The affected persons are self-isolating pursuant to Ministry of Health protocols.
Mwilu added that other personnel at the 15-person station have subsequently undertaken Covid-19 tests and are awaiting the results.
"The Head of Station held consultations with officials from the Ministry of Health at Baricho who directed that the registry should not be occupied until fumigation, disinfection and the installation of proper ventilation, in the form of two additional windows to the room housing the Registry, be provided in order to ensure a safer working environment," she said.
Adding that the Head of Station then called for a Court User’s Committee (CUC) meeting and their recommendations as communicated to my office were that it would be prudent to control any potential further spread of the virus by temporarily closing the court station with immediate effect.
"In light of the above mentioned developments, the recommendation from Ministry of Health officials in Kirinyaga County, the Court User’s Committee at Baricho Law Courts, and upon consultation with the Head of Station at Baricho Law Courts, we have arrived at the considered decision to temporarily close Baricho Law Courts for a period of fourteen (14) days from tomorrow, Friday 2nd April 2021," she said
During the period of closure, the court registry, offices and courthouse shall be fumigated and disinfected, and adequate ventilation in the form of two additional windows in the Registry shall be constructed.
In this period, all urgent matters for Baricho Law Courts shall be directed to Kerugoya Law Courts.
On Thursday, one staff member at Nakuru Law Courts succumbed to Covid-19 related health complications.
"On behalf of the Judiciary family, and on my own behalf, I express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and her colleagues in the Judiciary.
We are grateful for the time she served the institution. We pray that God grants eternal peace to her soul and to her family, the fortitude to bear this loss," Mwilu said.
She added that four other personnel at Nakuru Law Courts have tested positive for Covid-19 and are self-isolating pursuant to Ministry of Health protocols.
Mwilu said the Presiding Judge is currently engaged with Ministry of Health officials to organize for more widespread testing across the station.
The Presiding Judge has held consultations with the Law Society of Kenya and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and their recommendations as communicated to my office are that it would be prudent to control any potential further spread of the virus by temporarily closing the court station with immediate effect.
"In light of the above mentioned developments and upon consultation with the Presiding Judge of the High Court at Nakuru, we have arrived at the considered decision to temporarily close Nakuru Law Courts for a period of fourteen (14) days from tomorrow, Friday 2nd April 2021," she announced.
As such, she said they have mitigated the closures of these courts and registries by, inter alia, directing court users and the public to alternative court stations and through the implementation of digital solutions such as e-filing and virtual hearings.
Additionally, with the support from the Ministry of Health, they have commenced a Covid-19 vaccination exercise across the institution.