In a brief ruling delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Court of Appeal President Daniel Musinga, Justice Mumbi Ngugi, and Justice George Odunga granted an interim stay of execution of the High Court’s December 18, 2025 judgment in Petition filed by a city lawyer.

The interim order, effective immediately, allows the JSC to resume considering and processing complaints against judges pending the delivery of a detailed ruling on January 23, 2026.

“Pending delivery of this Court’s ruling on January 23 2026, we grant an interim order of stay and suspension of the declaration and orders by the High Court in Petition No. E110 of 2025 stopping the Judicial Service Commission from considering and processing complaints against judges,” Justice Musinga led bench ruled.

The application was filed by the Judicial Service Commission seeking to overturn the High Court’s problematic judgment that had effectively paralyzed its constitutional mandate to ensure judicial accountability.

The Law Society of Kenya, appearing as an interested party through Senior Counsels Philip Murgor and  Ahmednasir Abdullahi  made compelling arguments urging the Court to stay execution of the High Court judgment.

Ahmednasir argued that the High Court’s ruling effectively paralyzed the Commission, preventing it from fulfilling its constitutional mandate to ensure judicial accountability.

He stressed that the Commission’s procedures are lawful, necessary, and do not infringe on judicial independence.

The original petition was filed on March 4, 2025, by Kennedy Echesa Lubengu, an advocate representing a judge facing a complaint before the JSC.

Echesa had challenged the legality of the JSC’s processes for handling complaints against judges, particularly the continued use of internal procedures in the absence of enacted and gazetted regulations as required under Section 47 of the Judicial Service Act.

The three-judge High Court bench of Justices Roselyne Aburili, John. Chigiti, and Alexander Muteti ruled in favor of Echesa, declaring that the JSC could not proceed with complaints against judges without proper regulations in place.

“Until the Judicial Service Commission enacts and gazettes regulations under Section 47 of the Judicial Service Act, it cannot hear or process complaints against judges, as doing so would violate the principles of natural justice and fair administrative action,” ruled Justices Aburili, Chigiti, and Muteti.

The judgment effectively brought all ongoing disciplinary proceedings against judicial officers to a halt.

The petition arose from a complaint filed by Aldrin Ojiambo trading as Acorn Law Advocates LLP against Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony over alleged delay in delivering a bail application ruling in a criminal trial and the alleged loss of a criminal trial file.

Echesa had argued that the JSC’s handling of complaints violated constitutional guarantees of fair administrative action under Article 47 of the Constitution and compromised judges’ security of tenure.

The Law Society of Kenya welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision, noting that it restores the JSC’s ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate.

“With the issuance of the Stay of Execution, the JSC can now fulfill its constitutional mandate to guarantee judicial accountability, and it is our expectation that they will discharge this duty,” the LSK president  stated.

The interim stay means the JSC can now resume processing all pending complaints against judges and magistrates across the country, a move likely to be welcomed by complainants but potentially concerning to judicial officers who had hoped for clearer procedural guidelines.

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According to investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Wairimu has been found in possession of illegally acquiring another passports, raising questions about her movements and intentions prior to her arrest and prosecution in the ongoing murder trial of killing her husband.

DCI detectives claim that Wairimu first reported that had given false information her initial passport went missing at Nyeri Police station, a fact they found to be false.

She is expected to be charges with two counts of giving false information to  public officers

The matter first came to light in the High Court before Justice Diana Kavedza, when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the investigating officer opposed her release on bail pending trial.

The government cited concerns that Wairimu’s multiple passports could facilitate flight risk and potential interference with the case.

“The accused has been found with four passports, which raises serious concerns about her intentions. Bail cannot be considered at this stage,” argued the DPP during the bail hearing at the High Court.

Wairimu, who is currently held at Langata Women’s Prison, had previously applied for bail on the grounds of being innocent until proven guilty.

However, the High Court denied her request, citing risks of witness intimidation and possible interference with the ongoing murder trial.

Investigators say the discovery of the multiple passports adds another layer of complexity to an already high-profile case that has gripped the public’s attention.

The authorities are expected to formally charge Wairimu with possession of fraudulent or multiple travel documents, alongside her pending murder trial.

“The fresh charges are serious and will be considered in the Kibera Court on November 7. This will form part of the broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Cohen’s death,” said a DCI official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Legal experts note that the new development could affect bail considerations, as courts often view the possession of multiple identity documents as a significant flight risk.

Sarah Wairimu remains in custody at Langata as the prosecution prepares the new set of charges.

The murder trial of her late husband, Tob Cohen, continues to attract nationwide attention, particularly as more details of her alleged premeditation and activities prior to the killing emerge.

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The ruling brings closure to a case that has gripped the city since 2014.

Milimani Anti-Corruption Magistrate Victor Wakumile ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove 17 graft counts against Kidero and his nine co-accused, relating to millions allegedly paid to companies for goods and services that were never delivered.

“In regard to counts 1 to 17, all accused persons are acquitted under section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC),” said Magistrate Wakumile.

The court cleared Kidero of three corruption charges, including dealing with suspected proceeds of crime amounting to Sh24 million, and conspiracy to commit fraud involving the alleged loss of Sh213 million from City Hall during his tenure.

Also acquitted were acting Chief Finance Officer Luke Gatimu and Acting Head of Treasury Maurice Ochieng Okere, alongside Ndegwa and Mwakanongo, who faced charges of abusing office by improperly conferring Sh26.5 million to Ngurumani Traders Limited.

Former Chief Finance Officer Kiamba and others were also cleared of misappropriating Sh20 million.

However, former Nairobi County Head of Accounting Stephen Ogago Osiro, and John Githua and Grace Njeri, directors of Lodwar Wholesalers and Ngurumani Traders, were ordered to mount a defense.

“I find that the prosecution has proved the charges in counts 18 to 31 and 32 to 33. The accused persons, including Osiro, are put on their defence,” ruled Magistrate Wakumile.

The court said the trio must respond to 14 charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property, including over Sh83 million allegedly obtained from City Hall in 2014 for undelivered services.

Githua and Njeri are also on defense for allegedly receiving over Sh70 million through Lodwar Wholesalers Limited between 2013 and 2016.

Kidero and his co-accused had been charged with conspiring to commit fraud, resulting in an alleged loss of Sh213,327,300 at City Hall between January 2014 and January 2016, with payments authorized to Ngurumani Traders and Lodwar Wholesalers Ltd for services not rendered.

The eight-year ordeal finally ends with the former county leaders walking free, closing a prolonged chapter in Nairobi’s fight against corruption while spotlighting the challenges of prosecuting complex financial crimes.

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On Sunday afternoon, residents of Ruaka were left in shock after a man was found dead inside his parked car near Total Roselyn.

Witnesses say the vehicle had been stationed at the spot since morning, but it wasn’t until around 3 p.m. that members of the public alerted the police.

Officers who responded to the scene broke into the car, only to discover that the man had already passed away.

It is alleged that the deceased may have been a victim of drink spiking, possibly given an overdose of a drug-laced meal or beverage, with some online users speculating he had been “given an overdose of rice.”

The exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed by authorities pending a post-mortem examination.

The incident has sparked widespread debate online, with many Kenyans calling for increased vigilance and empathy within social spaces.

On X (formerly Twitter), users expressed both grief and frustration at what they described as a growing culture of indifference and unsafe nightlife habits.

“Why would a man go clubbing alone without friends? He’s selfish to himself and life,” one user commented.

Another added, “Friends always come through in such situations. Sitawafunza kila kitu.”

Others, however, urged compassion, emphasizing that the tragedy reflected deeper societal issues rather than poor personal choices.

“It’s time Kenyans start caring about each other. That guy probably suffocated in the car,” wrote user @EriqNyamweya.

“Watching someone parked for more than six hours should have raised eyebrows.”

Recent months have seen an increase in reports of drink-spiking incidents across major towns such as Nairobi, Thika, and Kisumu, often leading to robbery, assault, or even death.

The government and security experts are urging revellers to avoid going out alone, watch their drinks, and report suspicious behavior immediately.

As investigations continue, the Ruaka tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the rising threat posed by drug-spiking and the urgent need for both public awareness and community vigilance in protecting lives.

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Homicide detectives, supported by forensic experts and government pathologists, have been methodically excavating a series of shallow graves scattered across the five-acre plot near Shakahola.

On the opening day, six graves were opened, yielding five bodies and ten human body parts, bringing the initial total of recovered remains to six bodies and additional remains.

By August 25, investigators had exhumed four more bodies, raising the toll to 13, alongside eight scattered body parts.

On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, the operation added another six remains, including the tragic discovery of a mother and her baby, bringing the confirmed death toll to 19.

Unlike the 2023 Shakahola massacre, where victims were neatly wrapped and buried en masse, the Kwa Binzaro graves are shallow, scattered and hastily unprepared.

Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor described bodies found stripped and buried face-up evidence, investigators believe, of frantic or secretive burials.

Detectives have uncovered disturbing structures in the thickets: a building with three rooms, believed to be “dying rooms” where victims starved themselves under coercion,one room for men, another for women, with a central room for collecting the bodies before burial .

Authorities have arrested 11 individuals, among them the woman suspected of orchestrating the killings, along with others believed to be linked to cult activity affiliated with Paul Nthenge Mackenzie’s Good News International network .

Investigators suspect that some victims were survivors of the 2023 Shakahola cult, who returned to the forested area after struggling to reintegrate into their communities

Teams have mapped out 27 potential grave sites across the area, with postmortems, DNA profiling, and identification efforts underway to match the recovered remains with missing persons.

Families have been urged to come forward with DNA samples to aid identification efforts at facilities like the Malindi Sub-County Hospital and the Red Cross desk .

Investigations are also expanding,  authorities are probing land ownership and how the suspect acquired the five-acre site deep within Chakama Ranch, a notorious locale in cult-linked tragedies.

The unfolding tragedy at Kwa Binzaro reopens painful wounds not just for the victims’ families but for the nation.

Activists and rights groups have warned of the “dangerous undercurrent” of unregulated faith-based groups, calling for stronger oversight without infringing on religious freedoms.

With each body bringing a face and a story to this grim tally, the operation stands as a chilling reminder of failures in monitoring radical ideologies, and the urgent need for accountability and healing.

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