Two Nairobi County officials to be sentenced for disobeying court orders

Two Nairobi County officials are expected in court for their sentencing after the court found them guilty of contempt.

The county secretary and the finance executive member were found in contempt of the court’s judgment delivered on February 14, 2019.

Judge John Chigiti, in a judgment delivered last week, ordered the two officials to attend open court in person on January 22, 2024, for mitigation and sentencing.

Justice Chigiti issued the orders following an application by Ojienda and Company Advocates.

The two officials allegedly failed to effect payment to the law firm of taxed costs of Sh464,000.

The court noted that although there was no appearance for the county government, evidence of service of the court order was provided.

“It cannot be said that the county secretary and county finance executive committee member do not know the proceedings before this court,” ruled the court.

The county secretary and finance executive member have also been convicted of contempt in Judicial Review Application No. 369 of 2018 for failing to effect payment of Sh191,284 to Ojienda & Co Advocates firm.

Narok County Government is also in trouble for failing to pay the law firm legal fees.

Tom Ojienda and Associates law firm obtained court orders compelling the County Government of Narok to pay over Sh12 million in legal fees.

The High Court in Milimani ordered the county government to pay Tom Ojienda and Associates Sh12,816,752.05.

Ojienda had filed an advocate client bill of costs in November 2017. He named the county secretary and finance chief officer as respondents. The bill of cost was due to a judgment in civil application No. 289 of 2015, in which he represented the county government against the Senate and another.