Court services digitized

Mombasa, Saturday, April 15, 2023

K.N.A By Fatma Said

The Judiciary has launched an electronic-filing system (e-filing) for Mombasa as part of its automation and digitization agenda for effective delivery of justice.

The e-filing system will cover Mombasa court, Tononoka and the Shanzu courts, which also include the Gender Based Violence court.

Speaking during the function, Chief Justice Martha Koome described the new filing system as a significant milestone of the judiciary’s efforts in leveraging technology to drive the quest for efficiency in the processes and in the delivery of justice.

Mombasa is now the second county to embrace the digitalization of court services after the first launch in June 2020 in Nairobi County.

E-filing allows court users to submit E-documents to the court, perform self-assessment and make payment of either court fees, cash bail or court deposit.

Court users can also file new matters and get new case numbers or file additional E-documents to already existing cases, track case progress and request decree.

Koome said that the launch represents not only the expansion of the e-filing system but also the deepening of commitment to innovation and progress within the Kenyan Judiciary.

“There has already been witnessed transformative impact of virtual courts on access to justice because virtual hearings have been a sensational success,” Koome said.

“The transformation brought by virtual hearings is markedly evident in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal which are now fully virtual Courts except in matters of public interest where the two courts hold physical hearings,” Koome added.

Case Tracking System (CTS) is another aspect of technology that is driving the Judiciary’s quest for excellence.

CTS enables the tracking of the entire details of a case from initiation to disposition. It has automated registry operations that include case registration, fee assessments, cause list preparation, court orders generation and performance reports.

The CTS has been progressively rolled out and operationalized across all courts and tribunals.

Koome noted that there are challenges to the optimal performance of the Virtual Courts with regard to the concerns around the functionality of our systems and stability of the internet and other teething problems.

However, she went on to assure litigants and the Bar that they were actively working on ways to resolve those problems.

“Our ultimate goal is to create a justice system that is responsive to the needs of the Kenyan people, to uphold the rule of law, promote fairness and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all citizens and e-filing is just one component of the larger vision,” Koome added.

Mombasa Governor, Abdulswamad Nassir applauded the initiative to launch the E-filing System in the county stating that it will uphold the rule of law and advance the court services provision.

He acknowledged that the process requires consistency in team work, thus there is a need to enhance ICT infrastructure and to equip users with the required technical skills to be able to efficiently use the systems and maintain them.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji was represented by his Deputy Rashid Khator.

Khator said that as the ODPP, they recognize the critical role digitization plays in the administration, thus they are committed to ensuring that its benefits are fully realized.

“In the face of ever-evolving criminal activities, integrated digital case management systems are important as they allow criminal justice practitioners to harness the power of technology to stay ahead of the curve and effectively combat crime,” Khator said.

He noted that E-filing has allowed for cases to be filed seamlessly from the prosecutor’s office to the judiciary thus safeguarding integrity, promoting accountability, efficiency, thereby reducing delays and bottlenecks in the criminal justice system.

Courtesy K.N.A