ADVOKS GLOBAL · KENYA
Contempt of Court Act
27. Offence of contempt of court
Edition: 2022-12-31 · In force
27. Offence of contempt of court
A person who—(a)assaults, threatens, intimidates, or willfully insults a judge or judicial officer or a witness, during a sitting or attendance in a court, or in going to or returning from the court;(b)willfully and without lawful excuse disobeys an order or directions of a superior or subordinate court in the course of the hearing of a proceeding;(c)within the premises in which any judicial proceeding is being had or taken, or within the precincts of the same, shows disrespect, in speech or manner, to or with reference to such proceeding, or any person before whom such proceeding is being heard or taken;(d)having been called upon to give evidence in a judicial proceeding, fails to attend, or having attended refuses to be sworn or to make an affirmation, or, having been sworn or affirmed, refuses without lawful excuse to answer a question or to produce a document, or remains in the room in which such proceeding is being had or taken, after the witnesses have been ordered to leave such room;(e)causes an obstruction or disturbance in the course of a judicial proceeding;(f)while a judicial proceeding is pending, makes use of any speech or writing misrepresenting such proceeding or capable of prejudicing any person in favour of or against any parties to such proceeding, or calculated to lower the authority taken;(g)publishes a report of the evidence taken in any judicial proceeding which has been directed to be held in private;(h)attempts wrongfully to interfere with or influence a witness in a judicial proceeding, either before or after he has given evidence, in connection with such evidence;(i)dismisses a servant because he has given evidence on behalf of a certain party to a judicial proceeding;(j)forcibly retakes possession of land from any person who has recently obtained possession by an order of court; or(k)commits any other act of intentional disrespect to any judicial proceedings, or to any person before whom such proceeding is being heard or taken,commits an offence.