Supreme Court Judge Ibrahim Mohammed has died after a long battle with illness.
According to the Judiciary, the judge passed away on Wednesday, December 17, at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, where he was receiving treatment, at around 4:30pm. He died at the age of 69.
Justice Ibrahim was receiving treatment after returning from India, where he had been admitted.
In India, he was receiving specialised treatment in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). However, doctors there eventually recommended he return to Kenya to spend his final days at home.
The exact nature of his illness remains unclear, with the Judiciary and his family consistently maintaining privacy regarding the exact medical condition, referring to it only as a "prolonged" or "long illness".
“On behalf of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court of Kenya, the Judicial Service Commission, and on my own behalf, I convey, with profound sorrow, the news of the passing on of Hon. (Mr.) Justice Mohammed Kadhar Ibrahim, Judge of the Supreme Commissioner of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC),” Chief Justice Martha Koome said while confirming the news.
Adding, “We extend our deepest to his colleagues, and the entire Judiciary and JSC during this moment of immense loss.”
Justice Ibrahim's fight with illness has been public knowledge due to his high-profile role. Most notably, he fell ill in August 2017 during the hearing of the presidential election petition filed by Raila Odinga. Following the 2017 health crisis, he spent significant time undergoing treatment in South Africa.
He has been serving at the Apex court since June 2011 and has been part of the panel of judges that listened to the highly contentious cases challenging the 2013 and 2022 presidential elections.
While mourning the judge, the Law Society of Kenya President, Faith Odhiambo, praised Justice Mohammed as " a towering source of inspiration to all who dared to dream."
"Justice Mohammed Ibrahim, SCJ. Justice Ibrahim served on the bench with unparalleled grace and distinguished intellect. His rare calmness spoke of a man who fully understood the role of judicial authority as an opportunity to serve and the nuances of justice as a tool for maintaining social order," she said in a statement.
Adding, "His passing on is a big loss to the Supreme Court, the Judiciary, and to the administration of Justice in Kenya."
Born on January 1, 1956, Justice Ibrahim made history by becoming the first person from the Kenyan-Somali community to be admitted to the Bar.
He studied law at the University of Nairobi before entering private practice in November 1982 and was subsequently admitted to the Roll of Advocates on 11th January 1983.
In 1994, he established his own practice, Mohammed Ibrahim & Associates, a firm that subsequently expanded to become Ibrahim & Isaack Advocates in 1997.
His prolonged absence from the bench during this period led to a petition filed with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) by a private citizen, Kelvin Njihia, seeking his removal on grounds of inability to perform his duties.
At the time of his passing, Justice Ibrahim had served as the Supreme Court representative to the Judicial Service Commission since May 2022.
He also serves as the Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee on Elections, following his appointment in August 2021 by the Chief Justice.
The highly respected judge was set to officially retire on January 1, 2026, upon reaching the mandatory constitutional retirement age of 70.
