Cleric accuses lawyers of selfishness in extrajudicial killings

Muslim clerics in Garissa have urged the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to stop applying double standards on matters relating to extrajudicial killings by police.

SUPKEM chairman Sheikh Abdullahi Salat took issue with the zeal in which the LSK has been handling the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josphat Mwenda and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri by boycotting court sessions yet there are many civilians and clerics who have been killed under similar circumstances.

Speaking at the General Mohamud Idd Grounds in Garissa Wednesday when he joined hundreds of Muslims to mark the end of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, Salat said had the lawyers and human rights activists acted on public outcry over extra-judicial killings, the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani could not have taken place.

“We are aware that over 200 people have been extra-judicially killed in this region, nobody has spoken about that, and nobody came to support us,” claimed Salat.

He added that in the North Eastern region alone, clerics and other innocent individuals have disappeared mysteriously in the hands of security agents yet lawyers never take it seriously.

“The people who are being killed are Kenyans.”

The chairman challenged the lawyers to take up cases of extrajudicial killings of families who have not gotten justice.

Salat said all suspects irrespective of their crime should be subjected to proper judicial process.

The chairman sent messages of good will to all Muslim faithful in Kenya and thanked them for maintaining peace during the holy month of Ramadhan.