Senior Counsel Khaminwa Cracks Up Courtroom During Gachagua Case Hearing
On Tuesday evening, Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment hearing at the High Court in Nairobi was punctuated by amusing moments, including Senior Counsel John Khaminwa’s request to leave the court.
Khaminwa, who has been questioned about his ability to articulate legal arguments clearly despite his advanced age, requested that the judges presiding over the impeachment case allow him to leave the chambers because he was in high demand.
The senior lawyer added that he had other commitments that prevented him from attending the session and listening to other lawyers’ submissions.
“I am on high demand so I beg to leave the court since I beg to leave the court and go deal with other matters,” Khaminwa implored the court amid laughter from other lawyers.
John Khaminwa: I am on high demand, I beg to leave the court, I am going to deal with some other matters pic.twitter.com/g04KZh97OM
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 29, 2024
His comments amused everyone else because he had not been given a chance to speak and instead interrupted another lawyer who had risen to make a submission.
The judges were left speechless and did not comment or issue a directive in response to the veteran’s request before he walked out of the chambers to attend to other business.
Earlier, before the Court adjourned for lunch, the attorney created a light moment in the courtroom by delivering a message to Attorney General Dorcas Oduor during his submissions.
Khaminwa claimed at the time that if the judges overseeing the case approved Gachagua’s removal, President William Ruto could also be impeached.
“If the Attorney General were here, I would tell her very plainly: those who want the Deputy President out, let’s assume he is removed, they will be the same people who will come and say, ‘President Ruto, you must go’. That will be opening chaos in the country,” Khaminwa stated.
Khaminwa caused more laughter shortly before the court could adjourn when he asked the judges to adjourn until the next day, October 30, despite the fact that they had provided a 30-minute adjournment window.
“I like taking care of judges when they are seated. You are human; why don’t we adjourn until tomorrow?” asked Khaminwa.
"I like taking care of judges when they are seated. You are human; why don't we adjourn until tomorrow?"
— Kavuli M. Bernard (@BernardKavuli) October 29, 2024
Dr. John Khaminwa is who he thinks he is! pic.twitter.com/9jRBeZeEzb
Justice Ogola was struggling to persuade him to drop the argument as the entire court laughed. However, his appeals were unsuccessful.
The Senior Counsel has been the focus of attention since the Rigathi Gachagua impeachment case made national headlines.
The experienced lawyer has developed a reputation for making people laugh in court with his amusing arguments and submissions.
For example, on Tuesday morning, he caused a light moment when he claimed that the National Assembly and Senate made an arbitrary decision to remove Gachagua.
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Khaminwa claimed that the Executive was the driving force behind the Gachagua impeachment, heavily influencing the National Assembly and Senate’s decision to remove the latter.
He claimed that the courts should not have been subjected to the impeachment drama.
John Khaminiwa: What has been made here is an arbitrary decision by Parliament and the Senate, which should not be handled by the court at all. If I may pause here, many of the problems we have experienced in this country have been caused by the Executive.#ImpeachingGachagua pic.twitter.com/i5TSfe9UjE
— KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) October 29, 2024
“What has been made here is an arbitrary decision by Parliament and the Senate, which should not be handled by the court at all,” stated Khaminwa.
“If I may pause here, many of the problems we have experienced in this country have been caused by the Executive.”
Senior Counsel Khaminwa Cracks Up Courtroom During Gachagua Case Hearing
