Justice Richard Ombwayo is facing intense scrutiny for allegedly issuing two conflicting or “identical but contradictory” rulings regarding a high-value property dispute in Mombasa.
It is alleged that the judge issued two separate orders on the same day—or within a very short timeframe—that favored different parties in a multi-million shilling land case, leading to confusion and a stalemate in execution.
A formal petition has been filed with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) seeking his removal from office. The petitioner accuses the judge of gross misconduct, bias, and compromising the integrity of the judiciary.
The dispute involves a prime piece of real estate where one ruling reportedly granted an injunction to stop development, while the “second” version of the ruling seemingly allowed the process to proceed or validated a different set of titles.
This incident has reignited debates over the “commercialization” of justice in the Environment and Land Courts, with calls for the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to intervene and protect the sanctity of court orders.Â
Justice Ombwayo has previously served in the Environment and Land Court in both Kisumu and Mombasa, where he has handled several high-profile land restitution cases.
By Anthony Solly
