Kenya: Bank CEOs Criminal Case Stalls After High Court Orders Halt Proceedings

What the report says

Proceedings in a criminal case in Nairobi involving several accused persons, including senior bank executives, have been put on hold after the court was told that some defendants secured High Court orders suspending the trial. According to Capital FM, the orders also restrained arrest in certain instances and blocked the trial court from taking pleas while related applications are heard.

The matter came up for mention after summons had reportedly been served on accused persons two to seven. Defence lawyers said different groups of accused had obtained conservatory orders, including directions staying proceedings and preventing further steps in the case. They argued that the trial could not continue while those High Court orders remained in force.

State counsel responded that the prosecution had not yet received all of the orders said to cover several of the accused, and asked for service to be verified. The prosecution sought an additional mention date so the court could confirm the documents and determine the status of the case.

The next steps are expected to depend on review of the High Court orders and any constitutional applications underway. In practical terms, the dispute shows how parallel court actions can delay a criminal trial, especially where accused persons seek interim relief before the merits of the case are heard.