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Court bars police from Law Society of Kenya head office
What you need to know:
- Police have been stopped from entering the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi and interfering with the affairs of the lobby.
- High Court judge Anthony Mrima, however, said the police are free to access the premises in the course of carrying out investigations or when called to restore law and order.
Police have been stopped from entering the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi and interfering with the affairs of the lobby.
High Court judge Anthony Mrima, however, said the police are free to access the premises in the course of carrying out investigations or when called to restore law and order at the offices.
The judge further said LSK President Nelson Havi should have unrestricted access to the offices on Gitanga Road Nairobi.
“The President, the vice president, and Council members of the Law Society of Kenya shall have unrestricted access into the premises of the Law Society Kenya,” the judge directed.
The judge said the LSK headquarters, being a public place, is open to all LSK members and as such, they too should not be denied access.
He further directed that the OCPD Kabete Francis Muthui and Deputy OCS Muthangari police station Benson Wambua can access the headquarters for the conduct of any investigations.
In the case, LSK led by Mr Havi has sued Inspector General of Police, OCPD Kabete, and Deputy OCS Muthangari police station over the recent breaking into and destruction of property at the LSK headquarters.
Mr Havi wants the two senior policemen (Muthui and Wambua) held personally liable for the destruction of property and harming of advocates when chaos erupted at LSK offices a fortnight ago.
Mr Havi says the LSK premises were invaded by 50 armed police officers and 20 unidentified men in civilian clothes and the aim was to conceal and destroy documents that would shed light on the money contributed by LSK members and which cannot be accounted for.
He says on July 23, 2020 members in a special general meeting passed a resolution for a forensic audit to be undertaken, although the same is yet to happen.
In the court papers, Mr Havi narrates that between June 26 and August 10, 2021 police officers curtailed him and other LSK council members from accessing the organisation's boardroom.
He says the police also broke into and occupied the offices, interfered with operations of LSK and the conduct of its business.