Judiciary Announces 2-Day Disruption Of Services
The interruption and subsequent maintenance will affect all courts across the country
Marvin Chege 
The Judiciary has announced that a series of online services will be interrupted for two days, starting tonight.
In a notice, the Judiciary revealed that the interruption will be a result of the corrective and preventive maintenance of the Judiciary Data Centre.
“The Directorate of ICT is constantly enhancing the Judiciary Data Centre and Systems with the aim of optimizing systems performance. In this regard the Directorate of ICT has scheduled corrective and preventive maintenance of the Judiciary Data Centre,” the notice read in part.
The Judiciary building in Nairobi. /FILE
As such, the interruption will commence from Friday, October 6, at 8.00 p.m. to Sunday, October 8 at 6.00 p.m.
The large-scale maintenance will affect services such as the Court Tracking System( CTs), the Judiciary Financial Integrated System (JFMIS), E-Filing, the Website, and the Judiciary E-mail service.
“We sincerely thank you for your continued support and apologize for any inconvenience that may be caused," added the notice.
The interruption and subsequent maintenance will affect all courts across the country, an exercise aimed at optimising the operation of the electronic system.
On Thursday, September 28, Chief Justice (CJ) Martha Koome took a significant step towards improving the efficiency of the judicial system with the introduction of new guidelines aimed at expediting the payment of fines and cash bail.
One notable change is that the processing of payments now occurs in open court, increasing transparency.
"This move is in line with the Judiciary's adoption of technology using the Case Management System, which enables electronic payment of court fees, fines, and deposits.
"This system not only generates online invoices and receipts but also simplifies the entire payment process," stated the CJ in part.
Furthermore, to ensure the timely processing of fines and bail, the guidelines require that pleas must be registered by 9:00 a.m.
CJ Koome, who chairs the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and serves as President of the Supreme Court, however, noted that in cases where this is not feasible, Court Users' Committees will provide guidance.
"Additionally, every plea-taking court will have two Court Assistants. The first assistant will support the magistrate with various court duties, while the second assistant will handle the processing of fines and cash bail payments.
"This includes generating invoices, providing copies to the accused, and facilitating payments through the online portal," she added.
Moreover, accused individuals who cannot make payments in open court will receive an invoice and be given a reasonable period to settle their fines or cash bail.
Committal warrants will be prepared for those who fail to pay by 4:00 p.m. on the day of their plea.
