Renowned criminal defense lawyer Cliff Ombeta on Monday made a comeback to the courts as one of the advocates featuring in the murder case of businessman Tob Cohen.
Ombeta is one of the high-profile lawyers appearing the late Cohen's family in the case where Sarah Wairimu - the deceased's wife, is accused of murdering her husband in cold blood.
It will be a rare appearance for Ombeta as he is often on the side of the accused. He will be working alonside the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and battling against former DPP Philip Murgor, who is leading Wairimu's defense.
On Monday, the lawyer came as a “changed” man, spotting a bushy beard popularly known as 001 in reference to Mombasa Governor Hussein Ali Joho.
The criminal lawyer has been missing from the courts after reportedly falling ill.
His illness caused a delay in the publicized trial of suspects in the murder of Willie Kimani.
At some point, the Law Society of Kenya announced that it had declined to renew Ombeta’s law license, arguing that he had not met the minimum points for practicing advocates.
The decision was later disowned and Ombeta allowed to continue working as an advocate of the High Court.