The High Court has issued an injunction preventing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from moving forward with corruption charges against Thika Magistrate Stella Atambo until a petition challenging the case’s legality is resolved.
Magistrate Atambo’s defense, represented by lawyers Shadrack Wamboi and Dantan Omari, argued that the remedies being sought in separate cases—one in the High Court and another in a lower court—are fundamentally distinct.
“We plead with the court to consider granting the orders because the reliefs sought in the two courts are as different as day and night,” Wamboi stated before High Court Judge Chacha Mwita.
According to the defense, the DPP had already been enjoined in the High Court matter, in line with his prosecutorial mandate, while the lower court case primarily focuses on issues related to search warrants.
They also noted that no formal complainants have come forward regarding the allegations.
In a related development, the Kenya Magistrates and Judges Association (KMJA) has condemned what it describes as a coordinated attack on judicial officers.
The association warned that escalating personal attacks, intimidation, and harassment of judicial officers risk undermining the independence of the judiciary and exposing them to public ridicule, psychological distress, and potential mob justice.
Representing over 800 judicial officers, KMJA has sought to be included in the proceedings, contending that investigative agencies are misusing legal processes to criminalize judicial functions.
The association highlighted that Magistrate Atambo has been subjected to cyberbullying and faces potential disciplinary action linked to an order involving a close associate.
KMJA also alleged that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has unfairly targeted other judicial officers and is planning further raids, actions they claim are designed to weaken judicial independence.
