This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Kenya's courts are at risk of Covid-19 outbreaks due to inadequate precautions, the Ministry of Health has warned.
According to a report by the Ministry of Health, open court sessions expose more people to Covid-19, putting judicial officers and other court users at a major risk of contracting the virus.
As of April 24, no Covid-19 screening was being conducted at the Supreme Court's security gate, and there was uncontrolled handling of register books by visitors at the security desk.
The report also noted that there was no social distancing at the court premises and that guards handled visitors' identification cards without gloves.
On May 18, the report indicated that piles of paperwork were still lying on shelves and floors.
Chief Registrar Anne Amadi said that Mombasa law courts, the area City Court, and Tononoka children's court would be fumigated and the number of officers, especially at the registry, reduced.
Amadi also stated that the Judiciary is reviewing its operations in all court stations based on the Health ministry's reports.
At the Milimani law courts, the report recommends that open courts and basement cells used to hold remandees and convicts be closed.
The bulk of cases at the High Court and magistrates' courts will be heard online, save for some cases that require witnesses to testify.
At the Court of Appeal, where judges have been hearing and determining cases online, only four judicial officers have been serving judges and other court users.
Working from home, judges have concluded 219 of the 269 cases listed before the court between April 27 and June 12.
