Chief Justice David Maraga has issued an internal advisory against the rising use of hoodies in courtrooms.
This week, KRA employees arraigned in court have appeared fully covered in (mostly) grey hoodies, and dark glasses. It has proved almost impossible to identify any of them.
Maraga’s memo is addressed to all judges magistrates and kadhis.
Though the chief justice does not ban the practice outright, he warns the judges that they risk being seen as perpetuating impunity.
“While exercising your individual control of your courts, you must ensure that you are not seen to be perpetuating impunity, by allowing egregious behaviour by suspects, particularly when such behavior could bring the court to disrepute,” he wrote.
Every judge or magistrate will have the prerogative to allow or disallow concealing of suspects’ identities.
Here’s the memo.
