Kenya: Taharuki baada ya raia wa kigeni wanaokabiliana na kesi ya utoaji rushwa kutinga mahakamani na PPE

[Cannabis]

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Utaratibu wa kesi katika Mahakama jijini Mombasa Alhamisi ulilazimika kuahirishwa baada ya raia watatu wa China kuingia mahakamani huku wamevalia Vifaa vya Kinga ya Kibinafsi (PPE).

Hakimu alilazimika kuahirisha kusikilizwa kwa kesi hiyo baada ya kudhani watuhumiwa hao ni Maafisa wa Wizara ya Afya waliokuja kuchukua mgonjwa anayedhaniwa kuwa na maambukizi ya virusi vya corona.

Hakimu alifanya maamuzi hayo ya kuisogeza siku ya kusikiliza kesi hiyo kutokana na taharuki ambayo baadhi ya wafanyakazi wa mahakama walikuwa nayo baada ya tukio hilo.

Watuhumiwa hao watatu wanakabiliwa na kesi ya utoaji rushwa kwa wapelelezi waliokuwa wakiwafanyia uchunguzi dhidi ya kesi nyingine dhidi yao.

Mnamo Juni, Jaji Mkuu David Maraga alilazimika kusitisha mahakama ya wazi huko Mombasa baada ya wafanyakazi wa Mahakama 11 kupimwa na kukuta na maambukizi ya virusi vinavyosababisha ugonjwa wa Covid-19.

Kuanza tena kwa huduma wazi za korti kumeanza baada ya miezi mitatu ya mdororo wa shughuli za kimahakama, kutokana na zuio hilo liliopelekea kesi nyingi kufanyika kupitia mifumo ya tehama.

Ilipendekezwa kuwa wafanyakazi wote wapimwe kama wana virusi vya corona, na hata kesi hizo 11 za maambukizi ziligundulika baada ya pendekezo hilo. Pia mapendekezo mengine yaliyotolewa ni pamoja na watu wote wanaohudhuria mahakama kuvaa barakoa na kutakasa mikono katika maeneo maalum kabla ya kuingia kwenye mahakama.

Pia mahakama ziliruhusiwa kusikiliza kesi 2 hadi 3 kutokana na ugumu na ukubwa wa kesi hizo.

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Proceedings in a Mombasa Law Courts on Thursday were forced to be adjourned and postponed after three Chinese nationals showed up fully dressed in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The magistrate was forced to postpone the hearing after she mistook the suspects for the Ministry of Health officials who had come to pick up a suspected coronavirus case. The magistrate handling the case was forced to push the hearing to a later date because some of the court officials panicked and thought those were health workers coming to collect a Covid-19 patient. The three, who are facing bribery charges according to the court documents, had tried to bribe some detectives who were investigating a case against them.

In June, Chief Justice David Maraga was forced to suspend open court in Mombasa after 11 Judiciary staff members tested positive for Covid-19. The resumption of open court services had started after about three months of little activity, mostly restricted to virtual courts. It was recommended that all staff undergo a Covid-19 test. The 11 cases were detected following this mandatory testing. Other recommendations included having all parties attending the court wearing masks and sanitising at designated areas before accessing the courtrooms. The courts were to also conduct two or three hearings per day depending on the technicality and complexity of the cases.