DPP Noordin Haji Appoints Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi

The Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji on Tuesday appointed United Kingdom’s lawyer Khawar Qureshi to prosecute Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu in her ongoing case.

In a notice, Haji revealed that he had failed to find a suitable candidate in Kenya who would handle the country’s judicial and governmental high profile graft such as that of the DCJ's case.

Taking into account the transnational nature of the offences, the complexity and the special skills required to maintain the integrity of the process, the DPP has deemed it prudent, and has decided to appoint Khawar Qureshi, QC, and his assistants to be consultant and lead prosecution counsel on behalf of the ODPP,” read the notice.

He further explained his appointment of the respected Queen’s Counsel lawyer owing to the nature of the job which had unique requirements and demanded a private legal counsel.

He further divulged that since the cases involved high profile figures, it was paramount for a counsel who would look at the Kenyan law independently.

In order to ensure transparency and independence in dealing with these cases, to build jurisprudence, to allow pragmatic interpretation of the Constitution and to avoid conflict between the ODPP and the Judiciary, we deem it prudent to engage private foreign counsel to deal with these matters,” noted the DPP according to Daily Nation.

Haji also noted that it was important for a counsel probing such cases to be insulated from public perception that theirs was political interference.

Previously, Qureshi has taught commercial law at Cambridge University, a bencher at Middle Temple and a deputy High Court Judge.

He will be expected to manage relations between the three arms of the government and the different justice agencies.