This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On July 16, 2019, a dramatic turn of events unfolded in court as one of the accused persons in the murder case of lawyer Willy Kimani withdrew the services of his lawyer, citing a preference for a male lawyer.
Police informer Peter Ngugi, the fifth accused person, informed the court that he was not comfortable with the services provided by his lawyer, Nelius Kinyori, and requested to be represented by a male lawyer instead.
Ngugi stated that he wanted a 'good lawyer, a man like lawyer Sam Nyaberi' to represent him, prompting Kinyori to withdraw from the case.
Lawyer Kinyori, who was representing Ngugi pro bono, did not object to the application, stating that it was her client's right to choose his own lawyer.
However, the prosecution expressed concerns that the process of getting a new lawyer should be done quickly, as it may derail the hearing and require the case to start afresh.
Lawyer Fred Ojiambo, representing the family of the victims, also expressed concerns that no lawyer or accused person should be allowed to undermine the legitimate process, adding that the victims were traumatized.
The case, which was scheduled to be heard for two weeks, was delayed due to the illness of lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who is representing three of the accused persons. The court has directed that the matter be mentioned on July 24 for a medical report on Ombeta's health.
