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Court did not stop Kisii poll
- Details
- Published on Saturday, 07 July 2007 23:26
At the same time, the Kisii High Court has summoned reporters from the three dailies to appear before it today to show cause why they cannot be charged with contempt of court following the lead stories that court orders issued by the court had been torn by somebody.
Judge H.P.G. Waweru clarified yesterday that the High Court had not given any such order but simply refused to confirm as urgent an application by former Kisii mayor, Claire Omanga that had been filed before it concerning the mayoral elections.
He said the court viewed with grave concern the stories in the Daily Nation, The East Standard and The People Daily and said the reporters could have verified from the court registry the true position of the matter by perusing the court files.
The judge has subsequently ordered that the three dailies carry a clarification of the issue on the same prominent pages as the stories of yesterday.
Contrary to reports that the court issued such orders the judge said, "the court simply refused to certify as urgent an application that had been filed before it concerning such elections."
"The court", Waweru said, "views these stories with grave concern. The stories are highly contemptuous of the Court, at any rate an offence under Section 121(1)(d) of the Penal Code appears to be disclosed."
The Editor takes note of the clarification of the Court over the claims that it had issued an order stopping the mayoral elections. We published the story without the benefit of checking the order as it was taken to the polling grounds immediately after it was given.
In that hurry, the reporter was unable to cross-check and authenticate the information he received at the site. In the event, we published erroneous information and sincerely apologise to the court.
