PLO Lumumba 'disobeyed court order'

NAIROBI: The High Court has summoned Kenya School of Law Director PLO Lumumba for disobeying a court order.

Prof Lumumba was summoned alongside Council of Legal Education secretary Kulundu Bitonye to appear in court and show cause why they should not be sent to jail.

The two had been ordered by High Court judge George Odunga to admit six students to the law school.

Juliet Wanjiru Njoroge, Vincent Omondi Owuor, Solomon Wachira Ngari, Anthony Eregae Elaini, Elizabeth Nanjenro Were and Kelvin Konya told the court they are yet to be admitted to the law school as was directed by the court on April 4, last year.

The students underwent their legal studies in Uganda and on return to the country, the Kenya School of Law denied them admission. For one to be able to practice in the country, he has to go through the law school.

FAIR TREATMENT

The six had been previously admitted but had their positions revoked for the academic year 2014-2015.

Aggrieved by the school’s decision, they moved to court and sought orders to have the revocation of their admission quashed.

After listening to the submissions, Justice Odunga issued orders directing the school to re-admit them into the institution.

In his ruling, Odunga was of the view that the students, being associated with the school provisionally, were entitled to fair treatment.

“Court orders are not made in vain and are meant to be complied with. A person disobeying the same must face the consequence of the law,” the court said.

The judge further expressed displeasure with the move by the two professors of failing to comply with the court order.

Lumumba and Bitonye are expected in court on February 3. The aggrieved students told the court that they hold a Bachelor of Law degree from the Uganda Pentecostal University, and that they qualified for admission at the law school for the Advocates Training Programme.