Tribunal Recommends Removal of Justice Chitembwe

A tribunal has recommended the removal of High Court judge, Said Juma Chitembwe.

President William Ruto received the tribunal’s findings on Tuesday.

The tribunal had been commissioned by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta in April of last year to look into conduct.

This came after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommended the judge be dismissed from office after leaked video clips implicated him in a plot to taint an ongoing legal proceeding.

Read: Justice Said Chitembwe Suspended as Uhuru Forms Tribunal to Probe His Conduct

“The Commission would like to notify the public that the panel constituted to consider the Petitions (seeking removal of Chitembwe) concluded its work and presented its report to the full Commission for deliberation.

“At its meeting of 27th April 2022, the JSC considered the report of the panel on the petition initiated by the commission on its own motion, and is satisfied that the Petition discloses grounds for the removal of Hon. Mr. Justice Chitembwe Said Juma from office, pursuant to the provisions of Article 168(1) of the Constitution,” Chief Justice Martha Koome said in a statement on May 4, 2022, while affirming the Commission’s commitment to the values of integrity and accountability in the Judiciary.

Chitembwe who was found guilty of gross misconduct was then suspended by the former president pending investigations.

The tribunal, which was presided over by appellate judge Mumbi Ngugi, was tasked with reexamining the evidence that the JSC used to support its recommendation.

Read Also: JSC Recommends Dismissal of Justice Said Chitembwe over Gross Misconduct

Other members of the tribunal included; Senior Counsel Fred Ojiambo, High Court judge Abida Ali Aroni, Labour Relations Court judge Nzioki wa Makau, lawyer James Ochieng’ Oduol, former Kenya Air Force Deputy Commander, Lt Gen Jackson Ndung’u, and former Teachers Service Commission chairperson Lydia Nzomo.