Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti of Makadara has passed away as a result of injuries she received on Wednesday in Makadara Law Courts from a police bullet.
During a busy session at the Makadara Law Courts, Chief Inspector Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto of the OCS Londiani Police Station shot Magistrate Kivuta in the chest and pelvic area.
Officers responding on the scene shot and killed the OCS.
During the event, two more cops and a court orderly who attempted to remove the magistrate from the situation and protect the courtroom were also shot.
Police claim that Chief Inspector Kipruto shot the magistrate after forcing his way into the courtroom and ordering his wife to be remanded for breaking her bond conditions.
In a case, Jenniffer Wairimu, the 48-year-old wife of the officer, was charged with earning Ksh. 2.9 million by deceitful means.
Justice Martha K. Koome stated that Makadara Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti had “lost the fight” due to her “extensive injuries” on X, the former Twitter.
At a court in Nairobi’s capital on Thursday, Ms. Kivuti was shot by a police officer when she refused to grant his wife’s bail because she had absconded.
“It is with a heavy heart that I inform the nation that Hon. Monica Kivuti, Principal Magistrate, Makadara Law Courts has lost the fight against the extensive injuries sustained during an open gun attack in Court,” Justice Koome said in a statement on Saturday.
“The Judiciary family stands in solidarity during this deeply traumatic time and calls for sensitivity and compassion as we share in grief.”
Up to Monday, the Makadara Law Courts are scheduled to be closed.
Kipruto, who oversaw a police station in western Kenya’s Londiani, was in court for “unknown reasons” on Thursday during his wife’s case hearing, according to a statement released by the national police agency. Receiving money “under false pretences” was the charge made against her.
The events that transpired are still being investigated.
According to Justice Koome, it was evident that Kipruto planned to murder Ms. Kivuti.
The event that transpired within the courtroom has taken Kenyans by surprise.
The judiciary has promised the safety and security of its employees and other court users, saying that it will strengthen security measures.
The incident was “not an isolated event but part of a troubling trend of increasing threats and attacks against judicial officers and advocates,” according to a statement released by the Law Society of Kenya.
“Legal disputes can be highly emotive, and the risks to judicial officers and advocates cannot be understated.”
The group further stated that it would “develop comprehensive strategies aimed at safeguarding our justice system and its practitioners” in collaboration with Justice Koome.
