Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi has filed a case at the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania, seeking to overturn a decision by the Supreme Court that barred him and his law firm from appearing before the court.
The Senior Counsel, has sued the Attorney-General on behalf of the government of Kenya and is seeking a declaration that the decision by the court led by Justice Martha Koome infringed on his rights to fair administrative action, access to justice and a fair trial.
Ahmednasir further accuses the State of infringing on his “universally accepted fundamental right to work.”
He wants the East African Court of Justice to issue an order reversing the decision by the highest court in Nairobi.
“An order directing the Respondent State to reverse the pronouncement made by its apex court on January 18th 2024 banning the Applicant from seeking audience before the Supreme Court of Kenya including the employees of the Applicant’s law firm, anyone holding brief for the Applicant or any other person acting under his instructions,” reads the court documents.
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The lawyer further wants the court to grant him damages amounting to Sh200 million which he says is legal fees forfeited arising from the Supreme Court ban.
“That this Honorable Court be pleased to award damages of Sh200,000,000 or other sums to the Applicant being the fees that the Applicant forfeited for cases he had conducted before the Supreme Court,” says Ahmednasir.
In January, the Kenyan Supreme Court ruled against granting the Senior Counsel an audience due to his consistent criticism of the apex court and its judges on social media platforms.
In a strongly-worded letter drafted by the court’s registrar L.M Wachira, the Supreme Court in Kenya also barred employees of Ahmednasir’s law firm from filing cases before it, while acknowledging that the decision would also affect the vocal advocate’s client list and their respective cases.
“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,” read the letter.
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