The Judiciaryhas announced the election of high court Judge, Justice Anthony Mrima as the male representative to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
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Mrima was elected after the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) held elections in Kisumu on Friday, September 6, 2024.
The President of KMJA, Justice Stephen Radido, announced that Mrima secured the post with 95 votes, while Justice Sila Munyao received 27 votes and Justice James Olola garnered 15 votes.
Anthony Mrima takes over the role from the late High Court Judge David Majanja, who was re-elected in May 2024 but passed away two months later.
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Prior to his appointment, Mrima was serving as a Presiding Judge at Kitale High Court in Trans Nzoia County.
New JSC male Representative Anthony Mrima. PHOTO/ JSC
Education & Professional Career
The new JCS representative was appointed as a High Court Judge in 2014, a position he has held in Kakamega, Migori, the Constitutional and Human Rights Division in Milimani, and Kitale High Courts.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Human Rights from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK.
Admitted to the Bar in 1998, he was awarded the 2023 Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Best Judge of the Year.
The judge also served as the Board Chairman of Coast Water Services Board, National Chairman of the Agricultural Society of Kenya, Branch Chairman of ASK Mombasa, and Board Chairman of Kilifi Water and Sewerage Company.
Justice Anthony Mrima Profile Case
Justice Mrima has made headlines with bold, precedent-setting decisions that have often challenged the high and mighty.
His most talked-about decision was when he sentenced the Director of Criminal Investigations, George Kinoti, to four months in jail last month in 2021 for disobeying a court order to return firearms confiscated from billionaire businessman Jimi Wanjigi in 2007.
Even after Kinoti pleaded his innocence and presented new evidence claiming he was not the one holding Wanjigi’s guns, Justice Mrima remained firm that Kinoti must report to Kamiti Prison to serve his sentence.
“There is no new evidence that would make me change my mind regarding the decision to sentence the DCI for contempt of court. The court order for him to surrender to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison to serve the four months will not be suspended,” ruled Justice Mrima.
A petition was later filed in December 2021 before the JSC seeking the removal of High Court judge Mrima.
The petition by Michael Mutembei Kibutha Makarina alleged gross misconduct, incompetence against the judge in the Jimi Wanjigi case.
He claimed that the judge demonstrated lack of impartiality in dealing with the case, adding that Kinoti’s sentencing was made under the court’s stubborn insistence that the firearms that belonged to Wanjigi were in his possession.
Other Cases He Handled
In April 2021 Mrima ruled that the creation of the office of Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) by the fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta was unconstitutional.
Later in April 2022, the Judge declared null and void the section of the Election Act that requires Members of Parliament (MPs) to have a degree.
When the Judiciary scaled down its operations in 2020 due to Covid-19 outbreak and resorted to virtual sessions, the judge, then in Migori, broke the record when he electronically delivered 70 judgments within 23 days in May.
He argued that there was no public participation in the decision to introduce CASs as assistants to cabinet secretaries.
Annah Nanjala Wekesa is a journalist at The Kenya Times, with a passion for crafting news-worthy stories that leave a lasting impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media from Kisii University. She has honed her skills in the art of storytelling and journalism. Her passion lies in the art of storytelling that resonates with audiences, driving a commitment to delivering news-worthy stories through the lens of integrity and precision. She can be reached at [email protected]
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