Oyugis: Oyugis Law Court Senior Principal Magistrate Samson Ongeri has cautioned users to be wary of fraudsters posing as court officials to exploit the public seeking services at the judiciary. The Magistrate urged citizens to be vigilant and report any suspicious individuals in the court corridors, saying all judiciary officials have badges with their names and numbers for identification purposes.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking during Judiciary Dialogue Day at Oyugis town, Ongeri emphasised the importance of transparency and integrity in judicial processes. 'We have heard cases of people being deceived by fraudsters who promise to assist them only to realise later that they were conned. I implore the citizens to help chase away such individuals from the courts,' magistrate Ongeri said.
He reassured the public that seeking justice does not require any payments outside the official court system, saying the Judiciary is committed to eliminating corruption and ensuring justice remains a priority. The magistrate encouraged citizens to report fraudulent activities and seek assistance only from authorised court offices.
'You should not pay any money to the court for a judgement to be determined; no one should lie to you that they know the judge,' he stated. Magistrate Ongeri also addressed the issue of mediation agreements when there is a land dispute, explaining the judiciary role in resolving such disputes.
However, he said that if parties fail to reach an agreement through mediation, they have the right to appeal to the next level or seek further guidance from the deputy county commissioner on the way forward. On seeking an affidavit in order to obtain a legal document like a birth and death certificate, he said one requires only to pay a minimal fee of Sh200.