The High Court in Eldoret has finally set the date on which it will make its determination in a case relating to the management of the multi-billion Eldoret Muslim assets.
Jamal Diriwo Omari, the North Rift Muslim Youth Daawa Group Secretary General filed the case in 2021, seeking orders to among others bar 8 Muslim Association Mosque Committee, Eldoret trustees from the management of the assets.
He accuses the 8 trustees of mismanagement of the Muslim assets and illegally allowing contrition of structures within the Eldoret Jamia Mosque.
Omari also wants an order issued directing the demolition of all the illegal structures within the Eldoret Jamia Mosque compound as well as a declaration that he is entitled to damages against the respondents for infringing on his rights to economic, social and religion.
Parties in the case made their final submissions on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, where Justice Robert Wananda set December 1, 2023, as the day he will be delivering his judgement.
Permanent damage
In his final submissions, the petitioner told the court that the respondent’s move to label him a witch doctor had permanently damaged his work and career.
Omari ran a herbal clinic – Tana River Herbal Clinic, but he told the court that he has since closed down the clinic which was in Eldoret following claims that he practices witchcraft, made by the respondents.
“The respondents did not provide any proof to show that I am a witchdoctor as they had claimed in their affidavits yet this is a serious and sensitive allegation,” he noted.
In their final submissions, the respondents dismissed claims that they had denied the petitioner the right to religion, arguing that he was not a member of the Muslim Association Mosque Committee, Eldoret.
“The petitioner is not a member of the 1st defendant and is in fact not a member of the Sunni sect which member of the first defendant subscribe to…” read part of the rebuttal from the respondents.
Further, they termed the petition as an abuse of due process and want it dismissed.
Other orders sought in the petition are the reregistration and reconstitution of the Muslim Association Mosque Committee, Eldoret and directions that fresh elections be held.
Trustees cited in the case are Mahmud Jama, Mohammed Ali, Mohammed Hajj Isaack, Idris Salim Keitany, Swaleh Chepkeitany, Mohammed Ghani, Abdulahi Jama and Abdi Omar.
