Ahmednasir Demands Ksh200M From Kenya's Supreme Court; Here's Why

He has listed the six Supreme Court judges including Chief Justice Martha Koome as among the respondents in the suit.

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Mar 20, 2024 - 16:30
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Ahmednasir Demands Ksh200M From Kenya's Supreme Court; Here's Why
Collage of Chief Justice Martha Koome and Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi. /VIRAL TEA KE

Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi has sued Kenya's Supreme Court at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) following its decision that barred him and his law firm associates from seeking an audience before it.

Making good on his earlier threats to move to the court based in Arusha, Tanzania, the lawyer is also seeking Ksh200 million in damages for alleged violation of his right to fair administrative action.

He has listed the six Supreme Court judges including Chief Justice Martha Koome as among the respondents in the suit.

Ahmednasir complained in his suit that the Supreme Court had unlawfully denied him audience based on a “judge-made offence” intended to stop the lawyer from publicly speaking about corruption in the Judiciary.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi alias "Grand Mullah" during a past interview with Citizen TV. /FILE

He claimed that the ban was imposed following an exchange of WhatsApp messages between a few members of the Supreme Court bench and himself.

“The respondent State (Kenya) manipulated the law on contempt of court to achieve a result that favoured impunity and limited the applicant’s freedom of expression. He argues that the Justices of the Supreme Court do not have any powers to punish the applicant for the social media posts, media interviews and write-ups that allegedly damage the reputation of the justices of the Supreme Court and the judges who have served thereon over the years…,” he stated in court documents.

The Ksh200 million damages that he wants taxpayers to foot are allegedly legal fees the lawyer would have earned in cases he was hired to represent clients, and which are pending determination at the Supreme Court.

“…That this honourable court be pleased to award damages of Ksh200,000,000 or other sums to the applicant being the fees that the applicant forfeited for cases he had to conduct before the Supreme Court,” he added.

He further claimed that the top judges have manipulated laws on contempt of court to unlawfully ban him from appearing before the Supreme Court.

Ahmednasir therefore wants the East African Court to issue orders finding that Kenya was at fault in the Supreme Court ban, and that the judges denied him his right to fair administrative action, right access to justice and right to work.

Ahmednasir, alias the 'Grand Mullah' revealed on Friday, January 19 that he instructed his lawyers to file a petition at the EACJ.

The vocal lawyer stated that he would not take the Supreme Court's move lying down, claiming that the apex court has corrupt elements.

“I have instructed my lawyers to file a petition in the East African Court of Justice at Arusha to seek legal redress against Koome's judicial skulduggery and niggling shenanigans. I will not waste time in going to Koome's corrupt court,” said Ahmednasir.

This came a day after the Supreme Court in a letter drafted by Registrar Letizia Muthoni Wachira barred Ahmednasir and employees of his law firm from filing cases before it over what it termed as incessant attacks.

The apex court strongly accused the prominent lawyer of relentlessly and unabashedly conducting a campaign in broadcast, print and social media aimed at scandalizing, ridiculing and outright denigrating the apex 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. This, you have done with reckless abandon, paying scant regard to the reputations of those who tirelessly serve on the Court in accordance with their Oath of Office," added the statement.

The court further disclosed that notwithstanding the damage to the reputation of the Court, and the Judges who have served thereon over the years, both in its corporate and individual posture, and to render justice to those Ahmednasir represents, the Court exercised restraint by not deploying the punitive tools available to it against him.

A collage of the Supreme Court judges. /VIRALTEAKE

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