The High Court has ordered Baringo County Government to pay lawyer Donald Kipkorir Sh17.5 Million.
Justice John Mativo directed the county government to pay the amount to Kipkorir's firm, KTK advocates, as legal fee for a boundary row case against Turkana.
Mativo further dismissed an application filed by Baringo seeking to set aside the taxation of bills costs.
“In principle, costs are awarded, having regard to such factors as: – (a) the difficult and complexity of the issues; (b) the length of trial; (c) value of the subject matter and (d) other factors which may affect the fairness of an award of costs,” Judge Mativo stated.
“The law obligates the taxing master to take into account the above principles,” he added.
[caption caption="Judge John Mativo"]
[/caption]
Turkana government officials filed a case in 2015 seeking to have Kenya revert to the initial boundaries that existed between it and Baringo before 1992.
The County argued that it had suffered indiscriminate killings, theft of livestock and destruction of property in violation of fundamental rights.
They further asked the government to evict raiders from Baringo and West Pokot counties who had occupied Turkana county.
In the case, Kipkorir stated that his law firm represented Baringo in the case adding that the bill of costs was properly filed and taxed accordingly.
The lawyer further stated that given the complexity of the matter, he felt that the taxing master did correctly enter judgment in his favor.
[caption caption="Lawyer Donald Kipkorir"]
[/caption]
