Supreme Court Judge Mohammed Ibrahim dies after long illness

Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Ibrahim at the Supreme Court, Nairobi on 30th August 2022 [David Gichuru,Standard]

Supreme Court Judge Mohammed Ibrahim is dead.

A close family member has confirmed to The Standard stating that Mohammed, 69, passed away on Tuesday evening after a long illness.

Through a statement on its X platform, the Judiciary also mourned Ibrahim who joined the Judiciary in 2003 as the Judge of the High Court of Kenya, where he served with distiction in various stations. 

"In 2011, he was elevated to the Supreme Court as a member of the inaugural benchm entrusted with the historic responsibility of giving meaning and effect to Kenya's transformative 2010 Constitution,"  the statement read in part.

Justice Ibrahim was widely respected for his strong commitment to social justice and the protection of minority rights, both within and outside the Courtroom. 

His career was marked by courage and principled service, shaped in part by his role in Kenya’s pro-democracy struggle.

Ibrahim was detained without trial in July 1990 for opposing aspects of the then regime.

He spent a month in solitary confinement at Kamiti Prison, accused of giving legal advice and supporting pro-democracy activists.

He became the first Kenyan Somali to be admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya on January 11, 1983. 

He later practiced at Messrs Waruhiu & Muite Advocates, where he was admitted as a partner in 1985.

Justice Ibrahim held a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma from the Kenya School of Law.

Beyond his legal practice and judicial service, he was a founding trustee of the human rights organisation Mwangaza Trust, underscoring his lifelong dedication to civil liberties and constitutionalism.

Tributes have poured in from leaders and members of the legal fraternity.

 Veteran lawyer Gitobu Imanyara described Justice Ibrahim as a principled jurist whose life was defined by courage, restraint and an unwavering commitment to justice.

“His service on the Bench was a continuation of that struggle by judicial means: thoughtful, disciplined and grounded in integrity,” Imanyara said.