Meru Law Courts Closed After Staff Member Succumbed To COVID-19

Meru Law Courts has been closed for seven days starting Monday after a staff member succumbed to COVID-19 related health complications.

The deceased who worked in the Civil Registry of the Meru High Court is said to have passed on Sunday evening.

Acting Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu said the decision to shut down the law courts will enable personnel at the station to undergo a mass testing exercise scheduled for 15th March 2021 and facilitate a fumigation exercise scheduled for 16th March 2021.

She said it will also allow any affected person to quarantine in adherence to the Ministry of Health Covid-19 protocols and contribute towards breaking the chain of transmission.

Mwilu said the Civil Registry is a busy area with a high volume of file movement and extensive interactions between staff, as well as between staff and our clients and court users.

“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,” She said.

The total number of personnel at Meru Law Courts is 78, 12 of whom work at the Civil Registry.

Meru Law Courts Closed After Staff Member Succumbed To COVID-19. Photo Courtesy

Mwilu said the period of closure, all urgent matters for the Magistrates’ Courts at Meru Law Courts shall be directed to Githongo, Tigania, and Nkubu Law Courts.

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

She further revealed that they closely monitoring the situation at the Chuka Law Courts where, out of a component of 16, four personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently under quarantine.

*Courtesy KBC*