Supreme Court judge Jackton Boma Ojwang has been suspended with immediate effect.
In a Special Gazette notice dated March 29, 2019, President Kenyatta also nominated Justice Alnasir Visram to chair a seven-member tribunal tasked with investigating 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,” read part of the notice.
Other members of the tribunal include: Justice (Rtd.) Festus Azangalala, Ambrose Weda, Andrew Bahati Mwamuye, Lucy Kambuni, Sylvia Wanjiku Muchiri and Amina Abdalla.
Uhuru also appointed Paul Nyamodi (Lead Assisting Counsel) and Stella Munyi (Assisting Counsel), as Counsel to assist the Tribunal appointed to probe Justice Ojwang.
The Head of State said Peter Kariuki and Josiah Musili will serve as Joint 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 said.
President Uhuru said the decision was necessitated by allegations contained in a petition by the Judicial Service Commission of Kenya filed by Nelson Oduor Onyango and eight others presented to him regarding the conduct of the judge.
In its decision to recommend formation of a tribunal, JSC said: “The commission found that the petition disclosed sufficient ground to warrant a recommendation to the President to set up a tribunal for the removal of Justice Ojwang and accordingly adopted it.”
JSC, in its petition, accused Jackton Ojwang’ of gross misconduct, impropriety, conflict of interest and breach of the judicial code of conduct.
Justice Ojwang is alleged to have issued a favourable ruling in a Sony Sugar belt case that Governor Okoth Obado supposedly had interests in. In exchange, Obado tarmacked a road leading to the judge’s rural home.
