President William Ruto has mourned the death of Makadara Principal Magistrate Monicah Kivuti who succumbed to gunshot wounds after a senior police officer opened fire at an open court in Makadara last week.
In a statement on Monday, the Head of State urged the police to protect judicial officers, saying what happened to Hon. Kivuti was unacceptable and “must not happen again”.
“I join the family, friends and the judicial fraternity in mourning the tragic death of Honourable Monica Kivuti who was serving as the Principal Magistrate of the Makadara Courts. The confrontation, threats or attacks of any form against judicial officers is unacceptable, criminal and an affront to the rule of law,” said President Ruto.
He said the police are there to provide Kenyans with reliable security.
“Under no circumstances should they abandon this essential obligation or ever turn from their duty of protection and become threats to the safety and security of the people,” he added.
He urged the police to ensure the safety of our judicial officers at all times in the discharge of their duties.
“We have lost a firm and hardworking judicial professional who served Kenyans with dedication. She still had a lot to offer our country. I pray that the Almighty God grants you strength to bear this loss, and comfort you with divine solace,” he said.
Meanwhile, Inspector General (IG) Japhet Koome has vowed to protect judicial officers, saying it remains a priority for the service.
“Following the tragic loss of the Makadara Law Courts’ Principal Magistrate, Hon. Monica Kivuti who succumbed to gunshot wounds inflicted by a police officer on June 13, 2024 at the Makadara Law Courts, the National Police Service would like to re-assure the Hon. Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, of the safety and security of judicial staff,” he said in a statement on Monday.
According to the IG, the police have assigned security duties to all courts across the country. He added that it was the swift action of the police court orderlies that contained the Makadara shooting incident on that fateful day, including the neutralisation of the perpetrator.
“As a Service, we sincerely condole with the family of the late Hon. Kivuti and the Judiciary, and wish a quick recovery to our two Officers injured on that fateful day,” said IG Koome.
The late Kivuti was shot in her courtroom last Thursday by Chief Inspector Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto, the officer commanding Londiani Police Station (OCS) in Kericho County, and later died at Nairobi Hospital on Saturday.
Kipruto shot and wounded Hon. Kivuti shortly after she revoked the bail granted to his partner, Jennifer Wairimu, aged 48, after she skipped a court appearance. The case was listed for mention on 17 June.
Fellow police officers in the courtroom fired back at the deranged officer, killing him instantly as he went down in a hail of bullets on Wednesday afternoon.
The police officers – Augustine Michael Kithumbi, Maureen Lepes and Eunice Macharia – who were on the court premises at the time were injured in the shooting and rushed to hospital.
