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Noordin Haji revokes Philip Murgor’s appointment as prosecutor

By Amina Wako November 15th, 2019 1 min read

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has revoked the appointment of city lawyer Philip Murgor as a public prosecutor.

The revocation is contained in the Kenya gazette notice number 10771, which was published on Friday.

The DPP notified members of public that he has deleted Murgor from the list of the special prosecutors.

“Gazette notice number 350 of 2019 (Special Issue) is amended by deleting the expression “Philip Kipchirchir Murgor.”

His position as a state prosecutor was the subject of discussion during the murder case involving his client Sarah Wambui who has been accused of murdering her Dutch husband Tob Cohen.

GAZETTED

Cohen’s family lawyer Cliff Ombeta raised the issue in court saying he was still a gazetted public prosecutor who should not represent the defence.

Murgor was hired on a two-year contract alongside former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali Taib and lawyer James Kihara as Haji aimed at strengthening the capacity at the office of DPP considering the increasing complexity of graft cases.

Murgor, however, resigned in March after he said the DPP had not assigned him any work for the two months he was appointed as special prosecutor.

“When a person resigns that’s the end of everything including the gazette notice. I will not read contents of the resignation out of respect for Noordin Haji,” Murgor told the court.

Lady Justice Stella Mutuku dismissed Ombeta’s objection, allowing Murgor to represent Wairimu ruling that he was no longer a prosecutor.

“No person should be forced to remain in office ..his resignation was immediate after issuing the letter to the appointing authority. He is properly before this court and his representation does not have any conflict of interest,” she ruled in October.