Tragedy As Man Dies In Court Moments Before Case Hearing
The man—who had a matter before the Environment and Land Court—arrived at around 9 am visibly unwell and had to be ferried into the compound on a motorcycle.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
An elderly man collapsed and died on Tuesday morning, October 7, within the Bungoma Law Courts premises, moments before his case was set to be heard.
According to a statement by the Judiciary, the man—who had a matter before the Environment and Land Court—arrived at around 9 am visibly unwell and had to be ferried into the compound on a motorcycle.
Court officials say a Customer Care Officer quickly handed him a Priority Card, which is normally reserved for elderly persons, persons with disabilities, expectant mothers, or those who are unwell, to ensure they receive expedited service and spend minimal time at the court.
After confirming his case details, the man reportedly told officials he would wait for his advocate to arrive. He then went outside to lie down on the grass with his brothers as he waited.
Photo of a legal scale and a gavel in Kenya. /LAWBHOOMI
"When a court official went to give him further updates, he found him unresponsive. Police were immediately called in, and it was ascertained that the man had, unfortunately, died," Judiciary spokesperson Paul Ndemo reported in a statement.
The body was later moved to the Bungoma County Referral Hospital Morgue as police launched an investigation into the cause of death.
Ndemo in the statement extended his condolences to the deceased’s family, adding that the man’s identity has been withheld until his next of kin are informed.
In recent weeks, the Bungoma Law Courts have been at the center of a string of unusual incidents that have left many Kenyans puzzled.
Barely three weeks ago, the same court premises witnessed chaos when a firearm belonging to a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer accidentally went off, injuring two officers and three civilians.
Judiciary spokesperson Paul Ndemo confirmed the September 16 incident, noting that the mishap occurred during an active court session. He clarified that while the five individuals sustained injuries, none were in critical condition.
The injured were taken to Bungoma County Referral Hospital for treatment, while other court staff and members of the public who were present during the hearing escaped unharmed.
Bungoma County Police Commander Anderson Njagi said officers have been deployed to assess the scene and launch investigations to establish what happened.
He added that security agencies in the county are committed to taking all necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
