NAIROBI, Kenya – A dramatic courtroom scene at Ruiru Law Courts has sparked outrage from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is now condemning what it calls “excessive and unjustified” force by police during the re-arrest of a suspect moments after he was released on bond.
Peter Kinyanjui, better known by his alias Kawanjiru, had just stepped out of the courtroom on Friday after being granted bail in a case tied to the June 25 Gen Z protests, when all hell broke loose.
A group of armed officers stormed the court premises, prompting confusion, screaming, and eventually, gunshots—yes, gunshots inside court precincts.
In a strongly worded statement released by JSC Secretary Winfridah Mokaya, the Commission accused the officers of gross misconduct and described their behavior as an “affront to the dignity and authority of the Judiciary.” The JSC was clear: Courts are not war zones.
“They are sacred spaces of constitutional adjudication,” the statement read. “They are to be respected, protected, and preserved as secure and impartial forums for the administration of justice.”
The Commission acknowledged that police have the legal mandate to apprehend suspects, but said storming a courtroom with weapons drawn, and firing into the air, was beyond the pale—especially in the absence of any credible threat to safety.
Eyewitnesses, and a now-viral video circulating on social media, show the officers forcing their way past security at the main entrance, then physically grabbing Kinyanjui in front of shocked relatives and supporters. A short scuffle followed. Officers stationed outside responded by firing several warning shots into the air, before whisking him away in a waiting vehicle.
The JSC said the incident not only endangered lives but undermined public confidence in the judiciary’s ability to provide a safe and impartial space for justice. It called on all actors in the justice system to show restraint and uphold the sanctity of court premises at all times.
Kinyanjui, who remains under investigation in connection with protest-related violence, was reportedly re-arrested on fresh charges—though details remain murky.
With tensions already high following weeks of youth-led demonstrations, the JSC’s rebuke adds fuel to an already smoldering conversation about police overreach, judicial independence, and the fragile balance between law enforcement and civil liberties in Kenya.
