Nandi hires DP Ruto's ICC lawyer in suit against Britain

Lawyer Karim Khan is scheduled to begin a series of interviews and investigations in Nandi County ahead of a case against the British government over colonial injustices.

Mr Khan, a former Deputy President William Ruto's lawyer at the International Criminal Court (ICC), has been hired by Governor Cleophas Lagat's administration to lead a group of about 10 lawyers in the suit against the former colonialists.

Nandi Hills

The lawyer is expected to tour Kapsisiywo area in Nandi Hills to consult with the Talai Clan, a once powerful Nandi clan targeted by the British settlers for their strong stand and rebellion against the settlers.

David Sulo, chairperson of the Koitalel Samoei Clan, told The Standard that Khan and his legal team were initially scheduled to begin their investigations on April 13 but was rescheduled for next week.

"The Talai clan were expected to offer their grievances and documented evidences of historical injustices to Khan's team on April 13 but the lawyer's visit here was rescheduled for next week after the political party nominations," said Sulo.

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Nandi County Assembly has already approved Sh108 million to facilitate investigations into the extent of British colonial injustices against the Nandi people.

The governor also received the blessings of more than 600 Nandi elders who gave him the go ahead to "use any necessary and available channels" to find justice for Nandi residents.

In a special ceremony performed by elders at Maraba town in Tindiret Constituency earlier this year, the elders mandated the county administration through the governor to "pursue justice for the Nandi" who they complained were "tortured, murdered and held in detention centres" by the colonial settlers who thereafter "confiscated their property including land."

"Nandi elders have unanimously given Governor Cleophas Lagat the authority to pursue justice for the Nandi people using all available legal channels, The British Government must be held accountable for their actions during the colonial times," said Nandi Kaburwo chairman Benjamin Kitur.

The high-powered legal team, led by the renowned Khan, is now tasked with the heavy responsibility to prepare a water- tight case against the British Government on a range of injustices including forceful eviction and loss of ancestral land, killings, detentions and torture among other injustices.

"The elders' approval has now officially set off our agenda to sue the British government for all historical injustices against the Nandi, we already have a strong legal team in place to fight our case," said Lagat.