Ahmednasir Abdullahi responds after Supreme Court ban

By Peter Ochieng

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice (CJ) Martha Karambu Koome on Thursday officially banned Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi alias the Grand Mullah from appearing before it.

And it does not end there.

The apex court, in a strongly-worded letter signed by registrar L.M Wachira, also barred employees of Ahmednasir’s law firm from filing cases before it.

The decision was taken due to "years of consistent distasteful remarks made by the 'vocal advocate' against the institution and its judges on various media platforms."

The letter said it beats logic for the Grand Mullah to appear before the very institution and individuals that he constantly berates in his media engagements.

“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 letter states in part.

“Much as this decision is bound to affect those who may have instructed you to represent them before the court, it is untenable that you would seek justice in the very institution and before the very judges, whose reputation and integrity you never tire in assaulting.”

The lawyer was accused of running a smear campaign against the highest court on the land and its judges, despite a 2018 ruling that ordered him to stop.

“Over the years, you have relentlessly and unabashedly conducted a campaign in the broadcast, print and social media aimed at scandalising, 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."

“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. 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 in an effort to render justice to those you represent, the court has exercised restraint by not deploying the punitive tools available to it against you.”

Not known to 'fear taking the bull by its horns,' he responded as thus: "Isn't it a badge of honour for the most corrupt court in Kenya to refuse me and my law firm and audience?"