Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi was two days appointed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji as the lead prosecutor in the case against the Deputy Chief Justice, Philomena Mwilu.
However, the appointment of the Queen’s Counsel has not been met favourably by the lawyers representing Deputy CJ Philomena Mwilu.
Mwilu’s defense team has today strongly opposed the appointment if the ‘foreign counsel’ appointed by Haji. According to Senior Counsel James Orengo, Mr. Qureshi cannot represent Mr. Haji in the case because he does not possess instruments such as certificate of admission allowing him to practice in Kenya.
However, according to the DPP, the appointment of Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi will inject confidence and independence in the case which is considered to be a matter of great public interest. The office of the DPP dismissed the argument by Orengo saying that Mr. Haji has a right to pick a lawyer of his choice to represent him in any case.
While the Prosecution and Mwilu’s defense lawyer go back and forth on this issue, take a look why Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi could be the best person for this job.
Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi was admitted to the Bar (Queen Mother’s Scholar, Middle Temple) in 1990 and took Silk in 2006.
In 1993 he was the youngest advocate to have appeared in the International Court of Justice for Bosnia in the Genocide case against Yugoslavia. He has taught Commercial law at Cambridge University, Public International law at Kings London and was appointed a Visiting professor in Commercial Law at the University of London in 2006.
He was later appointed a Deputy High Court Judge in 2013 dealing with civil and commercial matters.
Khawar has consistently been recognised by the legal directories as one of the leading advocates in commercial litigation, international arbitration, public international law, administrative and constitutional law.
He has made extensive appearances in the English Court at all levels, and in many international arbitration/commercial matters for and against more than 60 governments. He was an “A” Panel UK Government Treasury Counsel from 1999-2006.
Khawar has been Chairman of TheCityUK Legal Services group which is designated by the UK Ministry of Justice as the lead organisation to promote UK legal services internationally. He has also undertaken
The Professor has published several books and contributed to many journals, his areas of expertise including commercial litigation, public international law, arbitration, administrative and public law and human rights.
Khawar has been praised for being particularly good at difficult cases and a very powerful advocate who works incredibly hard and gets on top of both the legal issues and the facts.
Do you think support the DPP’s decision to appoint Queen’s Counsel Khawar Qureshi as the lead prosecutor in the case against Deputy CJ Mwilu?