Corruption, court records and justice administration in Kenya

Abstract

This paper outlines some of the challenges facing the management of court records in Kenya. It argues that frequent cases of lost or misplaced case files in the Kenyan courts systems impacts negatively on the administration of justice in the country. Using a few cases that have been highlighted in the local media, this paper seeks to demonstrate that poor records keeping practices at the Kenyan courts have contributed to corruption in the judiciary, and as a result of this impacted negatively the administration of justice. The paper shows that some of the cases relating to loss of files may be linked to corrupt practices. The paper further argues that although efforts are being made by the Government to address problems associated with loss or misplacement of court files, these do not go far enough, and that there is a need for a concerted effort if this vice is to be eradicated in the courts. This paper concludes by making suggestions on how best corruption can be dealt with through better records management practices and increased access to government held information.