NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 18 – A Nairobi court on Wednesday ordered city lawyer Prof George Wajackoyah to be removed from the record as the counsel representing late Sharon Otieno’s parents in an ongoing murder trial.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado who is standing trial with two other suspends for the murder of Sharon, a Rongo University student in September 2018.
Justice Grace Ngenye held that Wajackoyah had access to privileged information prior to Obado’s plea taking having visited the county chief on December 23 at Gigiri police station where he took instructions as his lawyer.
He later switched when Obado was charged, appearing for the victim’s family.
While issuing the directive, the judge said Wajackoyah had conflict of interest and that the information he held would prejudicial to trial if he continued appearing for the victim’s family.
“Despite the law allows a litigant to choose his lawyer in this particular case the advocate abused is professional conduct,” she said.
The lawyer had spent over hours with Obado at the police station and got all the information concerning the murder case, the judge noted.
The judge directed that matter be mentioned on January 19 for further directions.
Obado is charged alongside his aides Casper Obiero and Michael Oyamo.
