Image: FILE
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday gazetted the reinstatement of Supreme Court Judge Jackton Ojwang following the lapse of the constitutionally allowable timeline for appeal against the decision of the Tribunal.
President Kenyatta said that the decision to reinstate Ojwang was made because there was no appeal against the decision of the tribunal that found him innocent within the stipulated time.
“In accordance with the recommendations of the Tribunal, the suspension of Hon. Mr. Justice (Prof.) JacktonB. Ojwang, Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya is lifted and that Ojwang is therefore reinstated to Office, and all remunerations and benefits adjusted during the term of his suspension.”Uhuru said
Last week Supreme Court judge Jacktone Ojwang’ was cleared of all four charges that led to his suspension.
He was accused of misconduct, impropriety, conflict of interest and breach of the judicial code of conduct.
Judge Ojwang was suspended after President Uhuru Kenyatta formed a tribunal following recommendations by the Judicial Service Commission.
The decision by the JSC was reached mainly because, in one of the complaints against the judge, there were sufficient grounds to warrant further investigations.
The petition that landed Ojwang in trouble was filed by Nelson Onyango and eight others.
They complained that the judge sat on a bench of Supreme Court judges in a case that involved Migori county, yet he was closely associated with Governor Obado.
The nine claimed Obado tarmacked a road leading to the judge’s rural home.
However, a team led by appeal judge Alnashir Visram which investigated his conduct absolved him of any wrongdoing after analyzing evidence from more than 15 witnesses.
The justice Visram-led tribunal handed its findings to President Uhuru Kenyatta and recommended that he lifts the suspension imposed on Justice Ojwang.
The team also recommended that the judge resumes work.
