A significant situation has arisen at Makadara Law Courts, prompting calls for an investigation into the Magistrate in Court 8 and court clerk Mr. Amin.
On January 3, 2025, traffic police from Makongeni Police Station arrested two Public Service Vehicle drivers, Mr. Hudson Njoroge from City Shuttle and Mr. Daniel Ouma from Oma Services Limited, for obstruction and illegally picking up passengers on Jogoo Road.
They were presented in Court 8 on January 6, 2025, where they were denied cash bail and required to provide a bond and surety of Ksh 50,000 for their release pending case hearings.
The bond stipulations necessitate the accused to furnish items such as a car log book and title deed for court authentication, a process both drivers could not fulfill, resulting in their remand at Industrial Area Prison.
Oma Services Limited wrote to the court requesting cash bail for their driver but received a denial on January 6, along with a scheduled mention date of January 15, 2025, while their driver remained detained.
According to the Traffic (Minor Offenses) Rules, the maximum fines for obstruction and passenger pickup are Ksh 10,000 and Ksh 3,000, respectively, making the bond requirements appear punitive.
Matatu operators along Jogoo Road allege a collusion involving the magistrate, court clerk Mr. Amin, and traffic officer Madam Naomi, claiming she has become a corrupt force within the police station.
On January 7, Hudson Njoroge was reportedly asked for a Ksh 25,000 bribe and Ksh 5,000 cash bail for his release, which he allegedly paid to Amin. He has since been released and returned home, while the driver from Oma Services Limited remains in custody.
This syndicate targets those unwilling to pay bribes, leading to the further victimization of dissenting Matatu drivers. Operators are demanding investigations into Naomi, the magistrate in Court 8, and court clerk Amin for their purported collusion against drivers refusing to engage in bribery.
