Meru court staffer succumbs to Covid-19, court temporarily closed

Meru Law Courts will be closed temporarily for seven days after a case of Covid-19 was reported. 

According to Acting Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, an employee from the Meru court succumbed to Covid-19 related health complications on Sunday evening. She expressed her condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased.

The staffer worked in the Civil Registry of the High Court at Meru that has a staff contingent of 12.

The Acting CJ noted that Civil Registry is quite busy with a high volume of file movement and extensive interactions between staff, as well as between staff and clients and court users.

She said, “There is a high probability that there was general interaction with the affected person and justifiable apprehension as to the potential for exposure and the spread of the virus.” 

The recommendation of the Courts User’s Committee (CuC) that held an urgent meeting on Monday morning led by the Presiding Judge of the High Court at Meru was that the court station should be temporarily closed with immediate effect.

“…we have arrived at the considered decision to temporarily close Meru Law Courts for a period of seven (7) days from today. The closure will enable personnel at the station to undergo a mass testing exercise scheduled for March 15, 2021, and facilitate a fumigation exercise scheduled for March 16, 2021,” the CuC recommended. 

Consequently, any affected personnel will be able to quarantine in adherence to Ministry of Health Covid-19 protocols and help in breaking the chain of transmission. 

All urgent matters for the Magistrates’ Courts at Meru Law Courts shall be directed to Githongo, Tigania, and Nkubu Law Courts during the closure period. 

All urgent matters for the High Court at Meru shall be directed to the High Courts at Embu and Nanyuki while those for ELC at Meru shall be directed to the ELC at Embu.