High Court Justice John Mativo on Tuesday issued an order stopping the NGOs Co-ordination board, which is under the Ministry of Interior, from summoning the staff of Katiba Institute or interfering with the organization's activities in any way.
The Institute had sued the board and Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.
This is after the NGOs Co-ordination board, led by Fazul Mohammed, wrote to the Institute on November 3rd accusing it of money laundering and employing foreigners.
In his letter, Mr Mohammed summoned the Institute's directors to appear before the board to offer insight into the allegations.
[caption caption="Fazul Mohammed"]
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Katiba Institute, however, openly defied the order stating that their organization was not a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and therefore, Mr Mohammed had no right to summon them.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke after the ruling, the institute's lawyer Lempaa Suiyanka stated: "We defied the summons because Katiba Institute is not an NGO. Katiba is a company limited by guarantee.
"Tell Fazul Mohammed if he is looking for people to intimidate, let him find others but not Katiba," he added.
CS Matiang'i featured in the case as the Mohammed-led board falls under his Ministry.
The lobby group had also recently gone to court seeking to suspend the implementation of amendments to election laws backed by Jubilee Party lawmakers.
Through lawyer Waikwa Wanyoike, they want the gazettement of the amendments to be temporarily suspended until their case is heard and determined.
[caption caption="Lempaa Suiyanka handling a previous case"]
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