This archive report was first published on 18 December 2021.
On December 17, 2021, Justice Reuben Nyakundi delivered a judgement at the Malindi Law Courts that acquitted Lamu County's Mkomani Ward Member of County Assembly Yahya Ahmed Shee.
Shee was initially jailed for nine years and six months for attempting to aid the escape of three drug trafficking convicts, but was out on a cash bail of Kshs 300,000 after an appeal.
Justice Nyakundi differed with the decision of the lower court, stating that there was no sufficient evidence to hold the assembly member.
The judge pointed out that witnesses called upon to testify against the MCA had conflicting versions of events, and questioned why only Shee was arrested while others involved in the incident were not.
"One of the reasons I differed with the magistrate of the lower court is that the witnesses in the case were many but when you analyze deeply there was no reason to show why they were differing in their statements yet they were present when the incident happened," Justice Nyakundi said.
Shee hailed the court for granting him his freedom and enabling a fair ruling, thanking his family, supporters, and those who helped him in the case.
