Senior counsel Nelson Havi has publicly accused a judge at the Migori Environment and Land Court (ELC) of soliciting a bribe, triggering renewed scrutiny of judicial integrity and accountability in Kenya.
In a series of posts on X, Havi claimed the judge had targeted him for more than six months without justification, describing what he termed as deliberate provocation.
He alleged that during one encounter, the judge demanded a bribe of KSh10 million, an act he said was facilitated by the use of police intimidation to avoid exposure.
“Some judges like looking for trouble from trouble makers for no reason at all,” Havi wrote, adding that he was now prepared to confront the matter openly.
He warned that tactics he claimed were previously used to silence him would no longer work.
In a separate post, Havi suggested the confrontation intensified following a tense court day.
He said exhaustion and pressure from an early morning schedule, which included legal drafting from 4am and a board meeting at 7am, contributed to his frustration.
Havi added that the judge appeared dismissive of what he described as a tight schedule involving senior state officials, remarks that further inflamed the standoff.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Under the Constitution, complaints against judges fall under the mandate of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is empowered to investigate misconduct and recommend disciplinary action.