In a startling revelation, Kenyan authorities have arrested a fake lawyer, Brian Mwenda, who managed to secure victories in 26 court cases while falsely presenting himself as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. Mwenda’s audacious impersonation has left the legal community and the public in disbelief.
The Nigerian Tribune reported that Brian Mwenda, masquerading as a qualified attorney, had successfully represented clients in front of Magistrates, Court of Appeal Judges, and High Court judges. His ability to maintain this facade for a considerable amount of time went undetected, and judges only began to question his credentials after his most recent arrest.
The Rapid Action Team of the Nairobi Branch of the Law Society of Kenya played a pivotal role in exposing Mwenda’s deceit. They initiated his arrest following a barrage of public complaints. On their official Twitter account, the Nairobi Branch of the Law Society of Kenya made a public announcement: “The Branch wishes to notify all members of the society and of the public that BRIAN MWENDA NJAGI is not an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, from the Society’s records, neither is he a member of the Branch.” Mwenda is currently in custody as authorities delve deeper into this astonishing case.
The Law Society of Kenya uncovered the extent of Mwenda’s criminal activities, revealing that he had illicitly accessed their portal and manipulated the information therein. According to a report in Ghana Web, the society stated that Mwenda “identified an account with a name corresponding to his, tampered with the details, and uploaded his own photo in a bid to infiltrate Kenya’s legal profession.”
The revelation that Mwenda had stolen the identity of a legitimate lawyer with a similar name, Brian Mwenda Ntwiga, shocked the legal community. The genuine Brian Mwenda Ntwiga had reached out to the Secretariat after realizing that he could no longer access the system.
The Law Society of Kenya recounted the sequence of events, stating, “On the 5th Day of August 2022, Brian Mwenda Ntwiga was admitted to the Bar, and his correct email address was captured, and an Account opened for him in the Advocates portal. We reached out to Advocate Brian Mwenda Ntwiga, who confirmed that he had not applied for a practicing certificate since his admission, reason being that he had been working at the Office of the Attorney General and did not require a Practicing Certificate.”
It wasn’t until September 2023 that the genuine Brian Mwenda Ntwiga attempted to log in to the system and apply for his Practising Certificate, only to discover that he could no longer access his LSK Portal.
Furthermore, the Law Society of Kenya disclosed that after gaining access to the platform, Brian Mwenda manipulated his profile photo, applied for a practicing certificate, and even made payments. However, his application was not processed since he was required to provide additional documents, including the certificate of business incorporation.
The arrest of Brian Mwenda has exposed a shocking case of deception within the Kenyan legal system, and investigations into the extent of the damage caused by this fake lawyer are ongoing.
Sources By Agencies
