Kenya’s deputy chief justice arrested

Kenya’s Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu has been arrested at her offices in the Supreme Court in the capital, Nairobi over alleged corruption.

She has been taken to the police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations for questioning.

Kenya’s national prosecutor has confirmed in a series of tweets that the deputy chief justice Philomena Mwilu – arrested earlier at the Supreme Court – will face criminal charges:

Director of Public Prosecutors (DPP) Noordin Haji said that over the last few months there had been “concerted efforts to fight corruption and economic crimes in the country that seriously deny the provision of basic necessities to the citizenry and affect development”.

He said the decision to arrest Justice Mwilu had “not been taken lightly, but it is the right decision under the law”.

The DPP said the justice system only worked if lawyers, prosecutors, magistrates and judges were fair and just:

There can be no justice if lawyers, prosecutors, magistrates, judges and investigators (who are court officials) use their position to enrich themselves at the expense of the Kenyan people.

I believe that judges in a democracy such as ours must be totally free to exercise their judgment in a societal environment that supports and protects them. Indeed, the precepts and principles of the constitution must be our guide at all times.”