Nairobi — The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has suspended Kangema Senior Principal Magistrate Martin Kinyua Mutegi following his arrest by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over allegations that he solicited a Sh170,000 bribe to influence the outcome of a criminal case.
Chief Justice and JSC Chairperson Martha Koome said the Judiciary had immediately commenced administrative and disciplinary proceedings against the magistrate while pledging full cooperation with investigators.
“The allegations are grave and, if proved, constitute a serious violation of the law, the Judicial Code of Conduct and Ethics, and the values that underpin the administration of justice,” Koome said.
She reaffirmed the Judiciary’s zero-tolerance policy on corruption, saying judicial officers are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
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“I have consistently stated that judges, judicial officers and members of staff cannot discharge justice with one hand and commit a crime with the other,” she said.
Koome said the judicial officer would be relieved of judicial duties pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings, without prejudice to the ongoing criminal investigations.
She added that the Judiciary and the JSC would accord the EACC and other investigative agencies all necessary cooperation in carrying out their constitutional mandates.
The suspension follows an operation by the EACC on Monday that led to the arrest of Mutegi alongside Julius Irungu Njogu, a Principal Probation Officer attached to Kangema Law Courts.
According to the anti-graft agency, the arrests stemmed from a complaint by a Murang’a businessman who had been convicted on July 2 in a criminal case involving obtaining money by false pretences and was awaiting sentencing scheduled for July 22.
The Commission said preliminary investigations established that the probation officer approached the complainant claiming to be acting on behalf of the magistrate and demanded Sh170,000, allegedly promising that the payment would secure a favourable probation report recommending a non-custodial sentence instead of imprisonment.
EACC investigators mounted an operation that culminated in the arrest of the two suspects at a restaurant in Kangema Township while receiving Sh150,000 from the complainant.
The suspects are being held at Nyeri Central Police Station and are expected to be processed by the EACC’s Central Regional Office.
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The Commission said the arrests underscore its commitment to combating bribery in public service delivery and protecting the integrity of public institutions.
Koome, while emphasizing that every accused person is entitled to due process, maintained that the Judiciary would not shield judicial officers found to have engaged in criminal or unethical conduct.
“I wish to assure the people of Kenya that the Judiciary and Judicial Service Commission remain steadfast in safeguarding the integrity of the justice system. We will continue to act firmly, fairly and decisively against any judicial officer or member of staff whose conduct falls short of the high ethical standards expected of those entrusted with the administration of justice,” she said.
