Sarah Wairimu and her lawyer Philip Murgor at Nairobi’s Milimani court. [File, Standard]
City lawyer Philip Murgor, who is representing murder suspect Sarah Wairimu, has accused Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti of misuse of powers and threatening officers of the court.
Murgor who addressed the media outside the Milimani law courts on Tuesday after the mention of the case in which Wairimu is charged with the murder of businessman Tob Cohen claimed Kinoti has been threatening him and his wife, a judge of the Appellate court.
He told Kinoti to stop misusing the criminal justice system like a toy in the hands of a small child, adding that the powers he is entrusted with if not used properly can hurt someone, his or her reputation or destroy a life.
"He should grow up because everything he does with all the powers he has can hurt a reputation or destroy someone’s life.”
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He alleged that the DCI boss sent him a threatening text in January telling him to go slow or risk being destroyed.
“Kinoti sent a text message to me on January 29, and said if I don’t stop pushing him, he will ruin my reputation, he will ruin the reputation of the judge who is my wife and the other judge," he said.
Murgor challenged Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji to control Kinoti before he destroys lawyers’ reputation.
"DPP Haji has the constitutional power to control Kinoti, therefore he should step up to the plate and do exactly that,” he said.
Murgor told Kinoti to respect lawyers, adding that they (lawyers) are just officers of the court doing their duty and can appear for anyone including the DCI boss.
"We are all officers of the court, I am just a lawyer. Tomorrow, when Kinoti faces a criminal offence like abuse of office, it will be us who will defend him so he should respect us," he added.
