Man sets himself on fire outside Supreme Court building

A middle-aged man set himself ablaze outside the Supreme Court building in Nairobi on Tuesday, with reports pointing to frustration concerning a delayed court case.

James Kipira, who was identified through documents found on his person, sustained severe burns during the 9:30am incident.

Reports indicate that the victim doused himself in petrol and set himself ablaze in protest of a case involving the purchase of a vehicle in Mombasa in 2023.

Kipira allegedly paid a Ksh.300,000 deposit for the car, only for it to crash on the way to Nairobi. Since it was uninsured, he had to cover the cost of returning it to Mombasa.

The sellers, who had previously stated in writing that they wouldn't be responsible for accidents, then demanded full payment of Ksh.1.3 million before repairing and releasing the car, prompting Kipira to take the matter to court. The case has however been delayed ever since.

“He was carrying some documents and a bottle with a liquid. While standing on the street pavement, he placed the documents on the ground, doused himself in the liquid believed to be petrol and pulled out a lighter setting himself on fire,” Judiciary Spokesperson Paul Ndemo said in a statement later in the evening.

“The Security Officers at the gate of the Supreme Court Building responded immediately and rushed to rescue the man by putting out the fire. Although it was extinguished, the man sadly sustained some burns.”

The victim was subsequently rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

“In the meantime, the Police Officer in charge of security at the Supreme Court reached out to the KICC Police Station and some police officers were sent over. The Nairobi County Government was quickly contacted and provided an ambulance,” noted Ndemo.

“The police officers put the man in the ambulance and said they were taking him to Kenyatta National Hospital. The police also took away the documents and the burnt clothes.”

According to the Judiciary, once Kipira has received treatment and is out of danger, the police will question him to determine the reason for his actions.

“Meanwhile, the Judiciary is taking a keen interest in the matter, with a view to establishing if his drastic action could be linked to a court matter,” added the Spokesperson.