By RACHEAL MBURU, NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 18 – The High Court has quashed the decision by the NGO Coordination Board Executive Director Fazul Mahamed to deregister the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) for operating illegally.
In his ruling, Justice Georg Odunga prohibited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) from investigating and prosecuting seven directors of the lobby group over illegal operations.
Those who had been indicted include human rights activists John Githongo, Maina Kiai, Funmi Olonisakin, Stella Chege and three others.
In addition, the court has barred the Central Bank of Kenya from freezing the NGO’s accounts.
AfriCOG together with the human rights activists had sued acting CS Fred Matiangi, the NGO Board and others following the directive to close down organisation on grounds that it was operating illegally.
Justice Odunga stated that no evidence was adduced to show that the lobby group was carrying out its activities unlawfully.