Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi, popularly known as Grand Mullah, has downplayed the ban preventing him from appearing before the Supreme Court due to his continued attacks on judges and the Judiciary.
The Apex Court barred Grand Mullah and associates of his Ahmednasir Abdullahi Advocates LLP law firm from making submissions before the court.
In a statement on Thursday, the apex court stated that the lawyer has relentlessly scandalized and ridiculed it.
“Given the foregoing, 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,” the statement read in part.
A full seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court said it was untenable for the lawyer to seek justice before the same judges whose reputation and integrity he keeps attacking.
“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 of assaulting,” the Supreme Court judges said.
The court accused the lawyer of conducting a campaign in broadcast, print, and social media, accusing it and its judges 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,” the bench said.
“Tulikuwa TumemuWarn”
The court explained that it reached the stern decision because it had previously cautioned Grand Mullah to tread carefully and restrained itself from taking punitive action against him, but he remained unperturbed.
It cited its ruling in the case of Republic v Ahmad Abdolfadhi Mohammed and Anor, SC Petition No. 39 of 2018, during which Ahmednasir criticized the court over its verdict.
“You were cautioned that such conduct would in the future, not go unpunished. The caution as recorded in the ruling above, appears not to have had any sobering effect upon you,” the court said.
“Attached to this communication is a compilation of some of the statements that you have personally been generating against the Court, its leadership, and membership over the years,” the court said.
It explained that the compilation serves as a point of reference for anyone seeking to validate or challenge the gravity of the court’s action.
The Grand Mullah immediately responded to the statement signed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Letizia Wachira, terming the ban “a badge of honour.
Writing on his popular Twitter profile, lawyer Ahmednasir went ahead to double down on the Supreme Court, labeling it as “corrupt.”
“Isn’t it a badge of honour for the most corrupt court in Kenya to refuse me and my law firm an audience?” He posed.
ISN’T IT A BADGE OF HONOUR FOR THE MOST CORRUPT COURT IN KENYA TO REFUSE ME AND MY LAW FIRM AN AUDIENCE? @THE_SCOK @CJMarthaKoome @Kenyajudiciary @lawsocietykenya pic.twitter.com/Vms5BIQd3l
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi SC (@ahmednasirlaw) January 18, 2024
