Former Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel at Milimani. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

A Milimani court has allowed an application by former Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel to change his lawyer in a hate speech case where he was charged afresh on January 14.

When Lempurkel appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi on Wednesday for the mention of his case, he said his lawyer Saitabo Kanchory was not in court.

“Your honour my lawyer is out of town and he seems to be busy. I request to change him and enlist the services of a new one,” said Lempurkel.

Ochoi accepted his application and set March 17 as the mentioning date.

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Lempurkel is charged that on July 17, 2021, while on a television show, made hateful remarks towards members of a certain community.

The words are said to have caused ethnic hatred in Laikipia. He denied the counts and was released on Sh150,000 bail.