By Andrew Kariuki

A courtroom session turned tense after a magistrate confronted an accused person over allegedly forged medical documents presented to justify repeated absences from court, warning that submitting false records to judicial proceedings could amount to a separate criminal offence.

During the proceedings, the court shifted focus from the substantive case to what the magistrate described as a troubling pattern of non-attendance and questionable medical explanations submitted to excuse missed court dates.

The accused had initially attempted to explain his absences by telling the court that he had suffered health complications after spending five months in remand, saying he had sought treatment at multiple facilities, including a Chinese hospital.

He further claimed that after changing several advocates, a former lawyer directed him to a doctor linked to a hospital where the medical documents in question were allegedly obtained.

However, the magistrate interrupted the explanation, clarifying that the immediate concern before the court was not the main case but rather the authenticity of documents used to explain repeated failures to attend proceedings.

“You’re not answering my question,” the magistrate stated, explaining that the accused had previously submitted two medical documents purportedly from Kiambu County Hospital, dated January 26, 2026, and March 30, 2026, to explain his absence from court.

The magistrate then disclosed that Kiambu County Hospital had officially distanced itself from the records.

According to the court, the investigating officer received communication dated May 7, 2026, confirming that the accused had never received treatment at the hospital and that the medical records submitted before court were not authentic.

The accused responded by shifting blame to his former legal team, claiming a lawyer had introduced him to a doctor whom he consulted over skin-related complications allegedly developed while in custody.

He maintained that he was shocked by the revelation, insisting he believed the documents had been legitimately obtained.

But the magistrate pushed back, carefully laying out a timeline that contradicted the accused’s explanation.

The court noted that the accused had failed to attend a crucial mention scheduled for May 4, 2026, and only reappeared in court on May 7 while seeking withdrawal of the matter.

According to the magistrate, by the time the accused returned to court, the verification process regarding the hospital documents had already been initiated.

“The issue before me is simple,” the magistrate observed, reiterating that the court only wanted an explanation as to why documents submitted by the accused had allegedly been disowned by the institution named in them.

The court further cautioned the accused that producing forged medical records in judicial proceedings could itself attract criminal liability.

“You understand what I am trying to explain to you? Giving fake medical documents is another offence you can be charged with,” the magistrate warned.

As the gravity of the issue became clearer, the accused abandoned earlier explanations and instead offered an apology to the court.

In an emotional appeal, he pleaded for leniency, apologising for the documents and blaming his previous advocate for facilitating their acquisition.

“I want to humbly apologize,” the accused told the court, adding that if the records had indeed been confirmed as fake, presenting them before court had been “a very wrong decision.”

He also appealed to the court to consider what he termed humanitarian circumstances and ongoing discussions regarding withdrawal of the matter, arguing that the case had dragged on for an extended period.

The proceedings ended with the accused continuing to plead for forgiveness as the court weighed the implications of the disputed medical records.