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| Mercy Tarus |
The Nakuru Magistrate’s Court has issued a warning to popular human rights activist Mercy Tarus. Mercy Tarus said she holds the court in high regard, apologising for her comments. Tarus, a prosecution witness in the Finland scholarship controversy, was in trouble for making remarks that undermined the court’s authority. Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Alloys Ndege, ordered Tarus to desist from making any media statements that could jeopardise the trial. This decision came after the court found Tarus guilty of contempt for comments she made on various media sites.
The court determined that her remarks supported the claims of contempt. However, she was not punished after her apologies were accepted, in which she claimed ignorance of the knowledge that her words weakened the court. “The apologies given by the subject herein, that is, Mercy Tarus, have been accepted but with a serious warning,” ruled Ndege. Subscribe to watch new videos Who complained about Tarus’s comment Lawyers representing Senator Jackson Mandago filed complaints, prompting the contempt proceedings. They successfully moved for a summons demanding Tarus to explain why she should not be charged with contempt.
Tarus was shown video footage of her alleged utterances during the court session, including statements that Mandago was unsuitable to chair the Senate Committee on Health and that she intended to ensure his imprisonment. In her defence, she claimed that she had not singled out any of the individuals involved, but she apologised to the court. “I hold this court in high regard and wish to apologise for any comments that may have shown disrespect to the court. All in all, I hold this court in high regard, and I will not put myself or the other victims in a position where the dignity of this court is marred or the outcome of this case is predetermined by me or any other victims and I would love to see that justice is served,” she said. In his ruling, Magistrate Ndege underscored that while individuals have the right to express themselves, they must not infringe upon the rights of others or undermine other constitutional institutions.
by Didacus Malowa