This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
On August 6, 2020, the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) ordered the postponement of court's criminal proceedings in Kakamega County after undisclosed members of its staff tested positive for Covid-19.
According to a memo issued by the ODPP, mandatory self-quarantine and isolation were ordered for all officers for a period of 14 days.
Western Region's DPP Patrick Gumo confirmed that all state prosecutors had been tested, with some testing positive for the virus.
As part of ensuring the safety of judiciary officials, contact tracing was ongoing, and court hearings were suspended to avoid physical contact with clients, a major way of contracting the virus, Gumo said.
The order temporarily put on hold court procedures like hearing and plea taking that had begun barely a month ago after a four-month break occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawyers have lauded the closure of the courts, stating that it is timely, given the high risk of contracting the virus among court officials.
