Mombasa, KENYA: The newly posted head of Mombasa court station Judge Erick Ogola has promised to introduce admiralty law practices (a distinct body of law that governs maritime questions and offenses) in the Coast region.
Ogola said that Mombasa is a gateway to East and Central Africa because of the port,which facilitates the practice of international trade and therefore the need for the admiralty law.
He said the Judiciary was aware of the implementation of section 20 of the Insurance Act, to the effect that commercial importers in the country must procure local Marine cargo insurance policies from January 2017.
Judge Ogola further stated that a total of 18,546,2016 backlog cases were pending in Mombasa court.
He asked members of the bench in Mombasa to work hard to reduce the back log while attending to new cases and finalize them in time.
Ogola said the country expected judicial officers to observe 100% integrity and encouraged all judicial officers and members of the bar and the public to remain vigilant and discharge duties without any reproach.
He however said individual and personal issues on corruption and integrity when raised, shall be investigated appropriately by the relevant organizations.
Ogola has replaced retired Resident Judge Anyara Emukule who retired in December 2016.
He was appointed a judge in 2011 and posted in Nairobi at the commercial division where he served for 6 years before being posted to Machakos until January when he was posted as the head of station in Mombasa.
He said that statistics show that there are bulk of cases within the Coast region related to land ownership.
He added that the station had received two more judges, Justice Charles Kimutai and Lady Justice Loise Chepkemoi.
Mombasa will now have three environment and land judges as a major improvement in the sector.
