President Uhuru Suspends Supreme Court Judge Jackton Ojwang' from Office

President Kenyatta has suspended Supreme Court judge Jackton Boma Ojwang' from office effective immediately.

In a special gazette notice dated March 29th, President Uhuru has appointed Justice Alnasir Visram to head a seven-member tribunal that will probe the conduct of the embattled judge.

“In the meantime, Jackton Boma Ojwang', Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya stands suspended from exercising the functions of his office with immediate effect according to Article 168 (5) of the Constitution, ”reads part of the notice.

Other members of the tribunal include Rtd. Justice Festus Azangalala, Ambrose Weda, Andrew Bahati Mwamuye, Lucy Kambuni, Sylvia Wanjiku Muchiri, and Amina Abdalla.

Kenyatta has also appointed lawyer Paul Nyamodi (Lead Assisting Counsel) and Stella Munyi (Assisting Counsel), to assist the team appointed to investigate Justice Ojwang'.

Peter Kariuki and Josiah Musili will act as co-secretaries to the tribunal.

“In the discharge of its functions, the Tribunal shall prepare and submit a report and its recommendations thereon to me expeditiously and exercise all the powers conferred upon it by Law for the proper execution of its mandate,” Uhuru notes.

Kenyatta has constituted the tribunal after a recommendation by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

JSC submitted the recommendation to Kenyatta after a petition for removal of Justice Ojwang' from office was filed before it by Nelson Oduor Onyango and eight others.

The petitioners accuse Justice Ojwang’ of gross misconduct, impropriety, conflict of interest and breach of the judicial code of conduct.

He is accused of making a favorable ruling in a Sony Sugar belt case that Migori Governor Okoth Obado purportedly had interests in. 

In exchange, Governor Obado allegedly tarmacked a road leading to the judge’s rural residence in Migori.