Lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi has been permanently banned from appearing or making submissions before the Supreme Court of Kenya.
In a letter dated 18th January and addressed to the vocal senior council, the lawyer and all employees from his law firm have been barred from setting foot in the Supreme Court precincts. The letter was issued by the Courts Registrar, Hon. Letizia Muthoni Wachira.
The apex court stated accused the senior counsel of having incessantly scandalized, ridiculed, and denigrated it on social media and TV interviews.
“Over the years, you have relentlessly and unabashedly conducted a campaign in the broadcast, print, and social media aimed at scandalizing, ridiculing, and outrightly denigrating this court. Through social media posts, media interviews and write-ups, you have accused the court either in its constitutive persona, or individual membership, of acts of corruption, incompetence and outright bribery,” the statement reads in part.
The courts noted that despite cautions, the lawyer had not ceased his incessant attacks on the judiciary.
“…the court has exercised restraint by not deploying the punitive tools available to it against you. You will recall that in its ruling in the case of Republic v Ahmad Abdolfadhi Mohammed & Anor, SC Petition No. 39 of 2018, following sustained and unsubstantiated attacks directed by you against the Court, you were cautioned that such conduct would in the future, not go unpunished,” the statement continues.
“The caution as recorded in the ruling above, appears not to have had any sobering effect upon you.”
The Supreme Court appears to have made good on its threat to punish the senior counsel for what it calls ‘insensitivity and abusive arrogance’.
Starting January 18, the senior lawyer has thus been banned from the apex Court.
“In view of the foregoing, it is the decision of this Court, that henceforth and from the date of this communication, you shall have no audience before the court, either by yourself, through an employee of your law firm, or any other person holding brief for you, or acting pursuant to your instructions,” the statement adds.
Also annexed to the letter was a compilation of some of the statements the lawyer is accused of having issued, printed, or uttered against the Court.
Reacting to the ban, the lawyer took to Twitter (X) crying that he had not been afforded conference to defend himself. In his response, he called the Supreme Court ‘the most corrupt court in Kenya’.
“ISN’T IT A BADGE OF HONOUR FOR THE MOST CORRUPT COURT IN KENYA TO REFUSE ME AND MY LAW FIRM AN AUDIENCE?” Ahmednassir posted on X.
