Chief Justice Martha Koome conducting a virtual Supreme Court hearing on November 24, 2021. Twitter photo. 

High Court judge Said Chitembwe is now under scrutiny by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) following former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s accusations. 

Chief Justice Martha Koome said the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will meet and deliberate on matters raised concerning the High Court Judge.

In a statement, Chief Justice Koome who is the chairperson of JSC said the Commission has taken notice of what has been reported in the media noting that the JSC “is seized of the matter”.

“The Judicial Service Commission will meet to deliberate on the issue according to its constitution and statutory set procedures,” she said in a statement.

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko released a series of videos accusing the High Court judge of corruption. 

The CJ said Article 168(b) of the Constitution makes provision for removal of a judge of a superior court on account of a breach of the code of conduct prescribed for judges of the superior courts by an Act of Parliament.

“The removal of a judge may be initiated only by the Judicial Service Commission acting on its own motion, or on the petition of any person to the Judicial Service Commission,” she said.  

Judge Chitembwe and his High Court colleague Judge Aggrey Muchelule were taken into custody back in July but were later released without charges. 

Justice Chitembwe later admitted that he had about Sh770,000 in US currency with him when police officers raided his office.

However, the judge said the money was for school fees for his son, who studies at a university in Australia.

“That the USD7,000 in my possession was and still is my lawful money intended for my son’s school fees in Australia. I voluntarily handed over the same to the officers when I saw them do a body search on the 1st interested party (Justice Aggrey Muchelule) to avoid any misrepresentation by the said officers,” he said in an affidavit.