DPP Noordin Haji has appointed Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi to lead corruption case against Deputy Chief justice Philomena Mwilu.
Speaking to the Star on Tuesday, Haji said he took the decision to hire Qureshi since senior counsels had declined to prosecute the matter.
“I also wanted an independent person to handle the matter because there were allegations of bias and witch hunt against my office,” he said.
Qureshi has taught commercial law at Cambridge University and public international law at King’s College London.
He was appointed a visiting professor in commercial law at the University of London in 2006 and a deputy High Court judge in 2013.
His appointment comes after unhappy judges, magistrates and court staff plotted a fightback following the arrest of Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu.
Judicial staff said they felt targeted and would ‘fight to defend the independence of the Judiciary’.
More on this: Judiciary plots fight back on Mwilu case
In July, Haji said corrupt judges are hampering the anti-graft drive in Kenya, undermining President Uhuru Kenyatta’s attempt to restore public trust in the government, national security and the economy.
Every year, corruption in East Africa’s biggest economy drains billions of dollars from the state in rackets involving government officials and businesspeople - known as “tenderpreneurs” for their success in winning public contracts.
Uhuru promised to stop the rot when he came to power in 2013 but critics say he has been slow to go after top officials and there have been no high-profile convictions since then.
First of all I support any move to prosecute huyo mkora.
Will DCJ Mwilu get her pension if she is found corrupt and is forced to resign?
I know she will never see jail time because this is Kenya but will she get her pension? I hope not. Zile ameiba ni nyingi tu sana
I think it is only Ugandan lawyers who are allowed to practise in Kenya. That queens counsel should get permission from LSK. He should be admitted to the roll of Advocates and pay for a practising certificate.
ata akichukua foreigner si kila mtu anajua genesis ya ii kesi? two man show. instead of having a functioning directorate of criminal investigations it’s a one man show, kinoti. side ya prosecutions ni one man show, Haji.