Justice Jessie Lesiit is by far one of the most feared and respected judges in the country. Many Kenyan lawyers including those considered as the creme dela creme of the legal system have admitted to trembling in her presence.
Justice Lesiit made headlines when she sentenced beauty queen Ruth Kamande to death for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Farid Mohammed 25 times to death.
Justice Lesiit found that Kamande drew pleasure from stabbing her boyfriend 25 times and was not remorseful, even in court. “I want young people to know that it is not cool to kill each other. If you have an issue with a boyfriend, just walk away and forgive,” said Lesiit and sentenced Ruth Kamande to hang.
Justice Lesiit has been in the news lately while handling two of Kenya’s most high profile court cases this year: The murder of university student Sharon Otieno and businesswoman Monica Kimani.
In both cases, the main suspects including Migori Governor Okoth Obado in the Sharon case and television journalist Jacque Maribe and fiance Jowie Irungu, have all been facing Judge Lesiit alongside their battery of lawyers.
Lawyers who have appeared before Justice Lesiit confessed that she is as straight as an arrow even when she served as resident Magistrate in Meru before climbing the judicial ladder to the High Court.
According to criminal lawyer Cliff Ombeta, Justice Lesiit is both strict and fair.
“You can’t go to her courtroom unprepared. She is tough but very fair. Even if you have substance, you will have to justify whatever you say in her court. Many lawyers dread her chambers. She understands the law and so you can’t try present half-baked theories in her courtroom,” said Ombeta.
“She is very tough and straightforward judge, she gives all the sides equal opportunity, in fact, majority of my colleagues fear her,” said another advocate of the High Court who sought anonymity as he’s a frequent lawyer in her courtroom. The advocate added that Justice Lesiit “is in the right place because when in court, she is calm, serious and very strict on time, she means business that’s why she has the capacity to handle all kind of cases.”