NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 18 – Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has invited the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to conduct a lifestyle audit on him and judges of the Supreme Court.
In a bid to encourage other State officials to subject their wealth to public scrutiny, the CJ said he is ready to be the first to undergo such an audit.
“I wrote to EACC and the Auditor General on 12th October 2015 inviting them to conduct a lifestyle audit in the Judiciary starting with me and the Supreme Court judges. I hope that you will draw the framework for this exercise and once you are ready, I will be handing over to you my wealth declaration forms or poverty declaration forms, and any other documentation you may need for this exercise,” he said.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the EACC Commissioners, Mutunga said future holders of the office of the Chief Justice will be required to undergo lifestyle audits.
“I believe that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will also be asking you to conduct lifestyle audits for those who will apply to be the next Chief Justice, “stated the CJ who is also the chairman of the JSC.
In October last year, CJ Mutunga revealed that he was pushing for the audit which will begin with the Supreme Court judges. Other judiciary employees will follow.
In order to dismantle cartels that perpetrate corruption in the corridors of justice, the CJ said employees who have worked in one court registry for more than 10 years have been transferred.
The Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board recently recommended the sacking of eight magistrates over corruption.
JMVB Chairman Sharad Rao said a lifestyle audit of the magistrates revealed that they had questionable sources of income and multiple bank accounts in which large sums of money they could not account for were deposited.
