The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nakuru on Friday, February 9, apprehended a fake lawyer for allegedly conning his clients millions of shillings.
Nakuru Police Commander Mohammed Wako, while confirming the incident, stated that the DCI officers apprehended the lawyer after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) exposed him during the ongoing crackdown over quack practitioners.
The fake lawyer is being investigated for allegedly conning over 100 people millions of shillings, claiming he can process land title deeds for them.
An LSK official, part of the team that ransacked the lawyer's office, confirmed that the quack had previously been arrested and charged in court for pretence with intent to con people.
“We have further managed to see a charge, which indicates that this particular man has been charged before in a court of law for obtaining money in false pretence to claim he can process a title deed and run a transaction of land,” he stated.
While gathering evidence documents from the suspect’s office, the officials discovered title deeds, some with the original Land’s Registry seal, dating back to 2016.
“We have seen title deeds that are supposedly held in the favour of the client and more than 100 title deeds, some with fake seals,” LSK Ethics and Standards Chairperson Linda Kiome confirmed.
Over 30 fake lawyers from all over the country have been arrested within months since LSK kicked off its crackdown.
The Law Society launched a campaign in May last year to expose people masquerading as advocates after cases of fake lawyers appearing in court increased in Kenya.
In October last year, LSK President Eric Theuri exposed a student posing as a lawyer, after stealing the identity of another lawyer bearing the same name.
The imposter lawyer had won 31 cases in court, with Theuri calling on DCI to launch a manhunt for the suspect, as it was a case of identity theft, which jeopardises the practice of law in the country.
“Brian Mwenda Njagi is now at DCI. We are going to ensure that he faces the full force of the Law. The evidence gathered so far points to several cases of forgery & identity theft," LSK president confirmed after Mwenda was apprehended.
