Written by Alice Njoki
On Tuesday, Chief Justice Martha Koome officially opened the Kisii Municipal Court in Kisii County, where she called for faster handling of child defilement cases and urged all justice institutions to strengthen efforts to protect children from abuse.
During the launch, she emphasized that children who experience sexual violence should receive justice without unnecessary delays. She noted that long court processes can prolong a child’s trauma and make recovery more difficult, calling on the police, prosecutors, the Judiciary, children’s officers, and other agencies to work closely together so investigations and court hearings are completed as quickly as possible.
The new Kisii Municipal Court is expected to improve access to justice by bringing court services closer to residents and helping reduce the backlog of cases in the region. Faster case management will also help victims and families spend less time waiting for their matters to be heard.
Child defilement cases in Kenya are handled by the courts under the Sexual Offences Act, while cases involving children are guided by child-friendly procedures under the Children Act, 2022. Courts are expected to protect the privacy of child survivors, hear their cases with care, and always put the best interests of the child first.
The Chief Justice also reminded the public that protecting children is everyone’s responsibility and encouraged parents, teachers, community members, and institutions to report suspected cases of child abuse. She said every child has the right to safety, dignity, and timely justice whenever their rights are violated.