Achhroo Ram Kapila (25 August 1926 – 15 October 2003), usually known as A.R. Kapila or Achhroo Kapila, was one of Kenya's pre-eminent criminal trial lawyers, representing a number of African leaders. Born in

Ludhiana Ludhiana ( ) is the most populous and the largest city in the Indian state of Punjab. The city has an estimated population of 1,618,879 2011 census and distributed over , making Ludhiana the most densely populated urban centre in the state. I ...

, Punjab, India, his family moved to Kenya in 1930 and he remained there for the rest of his life. Kapila was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in London in 1946, and rose to fame in October 1952 when he was one of the lawyers who unsuccessfully defended the

Kapenguria Six The Kapenguria Six – Bildad Kaggia, Kung'u Karumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Fred Kubai, Paul Ngei, and Achieng' Oneko – were six leading Kenyan nationalists who were arrested in 1952, tried at Kapenguria in 1952–53, and imprisoned thereafter in No ...

, a group of Kenyan political figures accused of Mau Mau links ( Jomo Kenyatta,

Bildad Kaggia Bildad Mwaganu Kaggia (1921 – 7 March 2005) was a Kenyan nationalist, activist, and politician. Kaggia was a member of the Mau Mau Central Committee. After independence he became a Member of Parliament. He established himself as a militant, fi ...

, Kung’u Karumba, Fred Kubai,

Paul Ngei The Honourable Paul Joseph Ngei (18 October 1923 – 15 August 2004) was a Kenyan politician who was imprisoned for his role in the anti-colonial movement, but who went on to hold several government ministerial positions after Kenya became indepe ...

and

Achieng Oneko Ramogi Achieng Oneko (1920–2007) was a Kenyan freedom fighter and a politician. In Kenya, he is considered as a national hero. He was born in Tieng'a village in Uyoma sub-location in Bondo District in 1920 and educated at Maseno School. De ...

). Kapila worked with the British barrister,

D.N. Pritt Denis Nowell Pritt, QC (22 September 1887 – 23 May 1972) was a British barrister and left-wing Labour Party politician. Born in Harlesden, Middlesex, he was educated at Winchester College and the University of London. A member of the Labou ...

, and a team of Kenyan and other African and Indian lawyers including Fitz De Souza. Subsequently, he represented other African leaders, including

Julius Nyerere Julius Kambarage Nyerere (; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as president from 1962 to 1964, af ...

of Tanzania and Albert René of Seychelles. Following

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

Kapila spoke out against the increasing corruption of Kenyan politics and, in particular, its judiciary. His stand made him several enemies, and resulted in his imprisonment for a short period for illegal possession of foreign currency after police found £26 in his home after a trip to Britain.

External links

*http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article2077616.ece (paywall) {{DEFAULTSORT:Kapila, Achhroo Ram 20th-century Kenyan lawyers 1926 births 2003 deaths Kenyan Hindus Indian emigrants to Kenya Kenyan people of Punjabi descent