James Karugu: Kenya's Shortest Serving Attorney General Dead

Karugu, 86, died on the night of Wednesday, November, though details of his last moments remain scanty.

Karugu has been out of the limelight for the last 40 years – ever since he resigned on June 2, 1981, during the tumultuous years of the Nyayo era.

He was a familiar name in the 1970s, when he was the deputy public prosecutor, until April 1980, when he was appointed by then President Daniel Moi as the new Attorney-General.

A past photo of James Karugu.

THE STANDARD

Karugu first graduated in history and political science from Ohio State University before proceeding to London for a law degree.

He then returned to Kenya to work at the State Law office and was a familiar name in the 1970s when he was the Deputy Public Prosecutor until April 1980 when he was appointed the AG.

It was during his stint at the public prosecutor's office that the assassination of Cabinet Minister Tom Mboya happened.

He handled the coup plot case against President Jomo Kenyatta that implicated Chief Justice Kitili Mwendwa and army commander Brigadier Joseph Ndolo.

The famous Frank Sandstrom case where an American marine had been accused of killing a Mombasa girl, Monica Njeri was his first case as AG.

Sandstrom would be fined Ksh500 by Justice Leslie Harris for killing the girl, a punishment that Karugu found unjust.

Appearing in parliament, he surprised lawmakers by saying he was not satisfied that justice had been served which was interpreted as an attack on the judiciary.

He resigned on the morning of June 2, 1981, and retreated to his Kiamara coffee farm on the outskirts of Kiambu town.