This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
Published on May 7, 2020, the Judiciary in Kenya has made significant strides in embracing technology to deliver justice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Justice David Maraga revealed that over 7,000 judgments have been delivered by various courts in the country through the use of technology.
Receiving a donation of computers from the European Union to the judiciary and other agencies in the justice sector at the Supreme Court building, Justice Maraga acknowledged that the pandemic had pushed the Judiciary to step up efforts to embrace technology.
"The use of technology in dispensation of justice has since proved an invaluable channel through which we can carry out operations in the justice sector during this period of scaled down court operations," he said.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, the Commissioner General of Prisons Wycliffe Ogala, the Director of Probation and Aftercare Services Mary Mbau, and the Judiciary's Chief Registrar Anne Amadi were also present at the event.
The CJ said the computers will come in handy in delivery of e-justice, especially at the Court of Appeal which has many cases and a shortage of such equipment in penal facilities where convicts and remandees are held.
However, lawyers under the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of rulings made during this period, criticizing some judgments as lacking in-depth legal research.
LSK President Nelson Havi raised questions over judges and magistrates' access to court files, saying that the manner in which the judiciary is handling this is poor.
