The Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling barring the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) from recruiting police constables. In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justices P.O. Kiage, Jamila Mohammed and J. Lesiit, the court dismissed consolidated appeals by the NPSC and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) challenging an Employment and Labour Relations Court decision that declared the Commission’s recruitment powers unconstitutional. The appellate court agreed with Justice Hellen Wasilwa that the NPSC is not a national security organ under Article 239 of the Constitution and therefore cannot exercise recruitment powers over members of the Service. The judges held…
Author: Pinnah Mokeira
The Court of Appeal lifted orders that had blocked the implementation of a health cooperation framework between Kenya and the United States, citing the risk of severe and potentially irreversible consequences for millions of Kenyans who depend on essential medical services. In a ruling delivered in Nairobi on October 9, 2026, Justices Luka Kimaru, Munyao Sila and Dr J.O. Okello set aside conservatory orders issued by the High Court on December 19, 2025, which had barred the government from implementing, operationalising or executing the framework signed on December 4, 2025. The appellate court ruled that public interest favoured allowing the…
A man accused of posing as a Catholic priest at the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar has been released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 after denying charges of forgery and uttering a false document. Jones Onchongo appeared before Magistrate Evanson Nginji, where he pleaded not guilty to allegations that he forged and presented a fake ordination certificate purportedly issued by the Diocese of Morogoro in Tanzania. According to the prosecution, Onchongo forged the certificate on August 12, 2026, within the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar. The document purported to certify the ordination of Fr Joseph and Fr Ebenyo Muhame. He is…
Floriculture International Limited has appealed to the Inspector General of Police to intervene in a long-running land dispute in Thika, alleging that Central Kenya Limited continues to occupy its property despite a High Court judgment dismissing a challenge to its ownership. In a letter dated October 9, 2026, the company asked the National Police Service to investigate alleged trespass and forcible detainer on Land Reference Number 7705/2 in Thika Municipality and facilitate its recovery of vacant possession in accordance with the law. Floriculture says Central Kenya Limited has refused to vacate the property despite a February 14, 2020 judgment by…
The Environment and Land Court in Bungoma has nullified a Sh5 billion affordable housing project at Kanduyi Airstrip, declaring the tender process and contract unconstitutional and ordering the land restored to its original state within 45 days. Justice Kossy Bor ruled that the project, valued at Sh5.02 billion, was unlawfully initiated on public land reserved for aviation purposes without a lawful change of user, meaningful public participation or the required environmental impact assessment. In a judgment delivered virtually on October 8, 2026, the court found that the State Department for Housing and other government agencies violated constitutional provisions on public…
Murder suspect John Matara has given the High Court a detailed account of the events that preceded the death of socialite Starlet Wahu, claiming he survived a violent knife attack at a South B apartment before fleeing the scene in search of medical assistance. Testifying before Justice Alexander Muteti, Matara denied killing Wahu, insisting that he left her alive after she allegedly attacked him with a knife during a confrontation over money. Matara said he met Wahu through an online platform in 2023 and that their relationship initially began as a paid sexual arrangement before developing into what he described…
The High Court in Nairobi has quashed the Director of Public Prosecutions’ decision to withdraw corruption charges against former Kakamega Governor and Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Wycliffe Oparanya. Justice Benjamin Mwikya Musyoki declared the DPP’s decision contained in a July 8, 2024 letter irregular and unconstitutional, finding that the prosecution agency had unlawfully considered fresh evidence presented by Oparanya’s lawyers without referring it back to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for further investigation. “In view of the above, it is my finding and holding that whereas this court cannot term the decision contained in the 1st…
The High Court has nullified the planned auction of the prime 14 Riverside Drive property after finding that the execution documents used to facilitate the sale were defective and invalid. Justice Moses Ado set aside the warrants of sale, notification of sale and the auctioneer’s notice and advertisement, directing that any fresh attempt to sell the property must begin afresh and strictly comply with the law. The ruling followed an urgent application by Cape Holdings Ltd., the registered owner of the property, filed on May 22, 2026, four days before the scheduled auction. The court issued interim orders on May…
A court in Kisumu has sentenced a 37-year-old man to life imprisonment for defiling his nine-month-old stepdaughter in Seme Sub-County. Principal Magistrate Jocelyn Kimetto of Kombewa Magistrate’s Court convicted the man of defilement contrary to Section 8(1) as read with Section 8(2) of the Sexual Offences Act. The prosecution, led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Caroline Kiptum, told the court that the man committed the offence on July 19, 2025, at about 8.30pm in Seme Sub-County, Kisumu County. The convict, who is the stepfather of the child, had denied the charge. He also faced an alternative charge of committing an indecent…
A Kibera court has deferred the plea-taking of a man accused of cyber harassment over a message allegedly sent to a magistrate, directing that he be presented before the Milimani Law Courts for plea. Francis Kamau Karanja appeared before the Kibera Law Courts after the prosecution applied for the case to be transferred to the Milimani Law Courts. The prosecution said the application was necessary before Karanja could take plea in a charge of cyber harassment arising from a message allegedly sent on September 28, 2026. According to the particulars of the offence, Karanja allegedly used a mobile number to…
The High Court has faulted the government for failing to constitute the Fertilizer and Animal Foodstuffs Board of Kenya and found that farmers who bought substandard fertilizer under the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme had their constitutional consumer rights violated. Justice Gregory Mutai ruled that the failure by the Cabinet Secretary responsible for agriculture to establish the statutory board was unlawful and inconsistent with the constitutional principles of good governance and the exercise of public authority. The judge also declared that the sale of NPK 10:26:10 fertilizer that failed to meet its declared composition and the applicable Kenya Standard violated farmers’…
The High Court in Nairobi has certified as urgent a constitutional petition challenging the proposed Sh2.2 trillion (USD 16 billion) Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals project in Lamu County. Justice David Mburu, sitting at the Milimani High Court, directed that the petition be heard on a priority basis and ordered the petitioner to physically serve the petition, application and court directions on the respondents and interested parties within two days. The respondents and interested parties have been given seven days from the date of service to file and serve their responses. The petition was filed by activist Francis…
The High Court in Nairobi ruled that a house acquired by a couple during their courtship did not constitute matrimonial property, awarding sole ownership to the man after finding that his former wife had not proved any contribution towards its purchase. Justice Robinson Ondieki Kebabee of the Milimani High Court Family Division ruled that House No. 52 at Riverfront Estate, situated on Title No. 28318/16 in Ruiru, was acquired before the parties were married and that the former wife had failed to establish a beneficial interest in the property. The judgment followed a dispute between Fletcher Alexander Tembo and his…
A Milimani court has heard that Brian Reeves allegedly posed as a Canadian Embassy consular and received more than Sh51 million from a travel company after promising to facilitate Canadian visa applications for its clients. The court was told that Reeves received a total of Sh51,244,065 through bank and mobile money transactions in connection with the alleged visa processing arrangement. An investigating officer told the court that the amount initially reported as having been obtained from the complainant was Sh89,185,000, but investigators later revised the figure after excluding cash transactions which they said could not be independently verified. The complainant,…
Infinity Industrial Park Limited has petitioned the Official Receiver to investigate the conduct of two insolvency practitioners appointed by Bank of Baroda (Kenya) Limited to administer the company. The company is seeking disciplinary action against joint administrators Ponangipalli Venkata Ramana Rao and Swaroop Rao Ponangipalli, following a High Court decision that set aside their appointment. In a complaint dated September 30, 2026 and received by the Business Registration Service (BRS) on October 1, the company asked the Official Receiver to investigate the circumstances surrounding the administrators’ appointment and determine whether they remain fit to hold authorisations to practise as insolvency…