The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has honored a Kisumu magistrate for distinguished service.
Resident Magistrate Beryl Omollo has been honored in recognition of her dedication to issues of justice, human rights and constitutionalism.
“For various matters placed before her, she always undertakes to make the deliberate and conscientious choice to ensure that justice is more accessible to the citizenry and that every litigant is given a fair hearing such that no one is driven out of the seat of justice,” said the LSK Citation.
Omollo handled the Baby Samantha Pendo’s inquest. In a ruling made on February 14, Magistrate Omollo found five senior police officers liable for the death of the then six-month-old Samantha Pendo at the height of the 2017 post election skirmishes in Kisumu.
She directed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to investigate Chief Inspector John Kiringi, Inspector Linah Kogei, former Kisumu County police commander Titus Yoma, Senior Superintendents Benjamin Koima and Christopher Maweu with a view of arraigning them for the death.
Baby Pendo died on the 15th of August 2017 while receiving treatment at the Agha Khan Hospital in Kisumu.
She died three days after police allegedly hit her on the head with a baton.
The police allegedly broke into her parent’s house in Nyalenda Estate, to quell chaos that had erupted after President Uhuru Kenyatta had been announced winner of the 2017 Presidential elections.