Uasin Gishu Woman Representative and National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Gladys Boss Shollei, a close ally of President William Ruto, has suggested that the judiciary should engage in consultations with the executive arm of the government.
In a TV interview on Monday, November 25, Shollei defended the President’s remarks on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) dropping cases due to a lack of evidence.
Shollei said such discussions are very important and must continue.
She suggested that people from the executive should be invited during Judiciary Colloquiums to explain to the judiciary government plans and agendas.
Shollei explained that such explanations would make it easier for judges to handle cases against the plans if petitions are filed in court.
“We need to have more robust conversations. For example, during the Judiciary Colloquiums that they have, they should invite members from the executive to come and explain some of the government plans so that even when the matter comes to court, they can see where the starting period was,” she said.
Judiciary Independence Not Interfered With
She stated that judicial conferences normally involve such discussions, and they don’t interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
Shollei emphasized that Judges should spend 30 percent of their time educating themselves and such discussions are a good avenue.
“It is not interfering, actually this is part of what judicial conferences are all about. We even go across the world to be able to have those conversations,” Shollei said.
She explained that the International Judges Association constantly meets and invites different people for such discussions.
“You travel the world to go hear and various people come to make the representations. So, it’s not that the judges just speak to themselves,” she said.
Also Read: Angry Ruto Puts CJ Koome on Notice
How ODPP Conducts Investigations
Besides, she stated that the ODPP already have witness statements filed in court at the very beginning when it investigates.
However, she said the law requires the witness appear in court at the time of hearing.
Shollei said lawyers have been arguing that once a witness statement is filed, even if the witness disappears, the statement should be admissible in court in their absence, as someone could frustrate the court proceedings.
ADVERT
“The challenge we discussed is that that witness statement is not under oath at that time, it is just in writing. So, what we should say is that witness statements should be taken before the commissioner of oaths so that it can be an oath, and people can frustrate cases by making the witness disappear at the time of hearing,” she said.
Also Read: Judiciary Hit by Budget Cuts Amidst War With Executive
Boss Shollei Comments on Anticipatory Bail
On anticipatory bail, Shollei said the Judiciary has bail guidelines that they will continue to improve.
She defended Ruto’s sentiment, stating that it was part of ongoing public conversations.
Shollei explained that judgments used to take a long time before regulations were introduced, which limited the time to 42 days.
According to the MP, judges initially followed this strictly, but there have been setbacks in recent years.
“Judges were working very hard to ensure that they met it, but I am seeig that right now it is taking more and more time,” she said.
In his State of the Nation address on November 21, 2024, President Ruto put the Judiciary on notice for dragging corruption cases.
Ruto wondered how the judiciary is able to complete all election petitions in six months yet graft cases drag for years.
He also took issue with the ODPP withdrawing charges for lack of evidence.
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