Lawyer thrown in cell after phone disrupts court session

A Nairobi court judge on Tuesday morning sent an advocate to police cells for two hours after his phone rang in court during an election petition hearing.

Justice Fred Ochieng’ was hearing the Starehe parliamentary petition filed by Steve Mbogo, challenging the election of Charles Njagua alias Jaguar as MP in August 8, when the session was disrupted by a ringing phone.

The court orderly, after a stern stare from the judge, then acted immediately and confiscated the lawyer’s phone and escorted him to police cells.

Attempts by the lawyer to apologise to the court were futile as Justice Ochieng’, who is known to advocates and jurors for his strict adherence to court rules and regulations, directed the orderly to do his work.

The helpless advocate had to surrender his phone to the police before he was taken to the basement cells in the court building.

The advocate, who was not even party to the hearings, found himself in trouble after he stepped into the court to have a glimpse of what was happening after finalising his business in another court.

He spent almost two hours in the police cells before the judge ordered his release on condition that he writes an apology letter.