Judiciary and Law Enforcement

Death Announcement for Retired CJ Evans Gicheru

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From judiciary.go.ke
I am deeply saddened to announce the demise of Retired Chief Justice Evans Gicheru which occurred this morning. Justice Gicheru had a lengthy career in the public service, which started when he was appointed a District Officer in Wajir. He later worked as a Senior State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney-General and as an administrative officer in the Office of the President, before joining the Judiciary as a Judge of the High Court in 1982.

He was appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal six years later, in 1988, and Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya on February 21, 2003, a position he held until his retirement in February 2011. Justice Gicheru will forever be remembered for his role in entrenching judicial independence in Kenya, ending the tradition where the Judiciary took instructions from the Executive in the discharge of its daily functions. He brought honour to the office of the Chief Justice by ensuring that it became the indisputable custodian of integrity within the Judiciary.

Justice Gicheru rendered his services in many other capacities. Perhaps the most famous, and for what he will forever be remembered, was his role as the chairperson of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the disappearance and subsequent death of Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko. His firmness and resolute management of the inquiry led to the disbandment of the Commission before it could publish its findings.

The Kenya and Judiciary family have lost a steadfast public servant, a selfless professional, and humble human being.
On behalf of the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission y own behalf, I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to his family for this painful loss. May the almighty God grant them courage and fortitude to bear the tragedy.

HON. DAVID MARAGA
HON. JUST CHIEF JUSTICE AND PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT
December 25, 2020.

This afternoon, accompanied by the Hon. AG Kihara Kariuki and the Judiciary leadership, we visited the home of the late Chief Justice (Rtd) Evan Gicheru to offer our condolences to the family. – Chief Justice David Maraga, December 26, 2020 (Twitter/@dkmaraga)

I joined family members, friends, and the Judiciary fraternity for the funeral service of the late Chief Justice Evan Gicheru (Rtd) at ACK St.Francis Church in Karen. He served the people of Kenya with distinction and humility. Fare Thee Well CJ. — Chief Justice David Maraga, December 31, 2020 (Twitter/@dkmaraga)