Fake lawyer Brian Mwenda arrested by DCI after turning himself in
Brian Mwenda, who was outed last week for masquerading as a lawyer, was arrested on Tuesday, October 17, after presenting himself at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Kiambu Road.
He turned himself in after being summoned by the police, who took his statement as part of an investigation into claims that he had been impersonating people.
The President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Eric Theuri, said in a statement posted on X that Mwenda faces several cases of forgery and identity theft.
He also vowed that the lawyers’ body will ensure that he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, adding that the case will serve as an example to those who may want to tread the same path in the future.
“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 and identity theft,” he said.
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“Further inquiries are ongoing. We are working closely with the DCI team to conduct thorough and extensive investigations. This case will be a deterrent for future masqueraders.”
He is suspected to have stolen the identity of Brian Mwenda Ntwiga.
LSK’s Nairobi Branch blew Mwenda’s cover after representing a number of clients in court.
According to Theuri, Mwenda stole the identity of Ntwiga through a fraud scheme known as the Business Email Compromise (BEC).
The matter is now under investigation by the police after it emerged that the much-talked-about ‘lawyer’ could have been a masquerader.
The man appeared to love his job as he presented himself on behalf of many litigants and represented them.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Renson Ingonga has directed the Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter and bring charges against him if found culpable.
Mwenda is said to have appeared in court several times and represented accused persons, presenting himself as an advocate of the High Court.
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He was present when former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga and others appeared before a Makadara court and argued for one of the accused persons.
A photo that has been doing rounds on social media shows him welcoming a new judicial officer at Thika Law Courts alongside other members of the Bar.
After his arrest, former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko offered to bail him out and sponsor him in law school if he did not have money.
On Monday, a law student was arrested for also masquerading as an advocate of the High Court in Nairobi.
In a statement, LSK said the woman had also stolen someone’s identity and was running a law firm illegally.
Sharon Atieno Adunya, alias Sharon Atieno Adunya Obade, was nabbed by the Rapid Action Team (R.A.T) in conjunction with police officers from Capitol Hill Station and in the presence of LSK President.
“This afternoon, together with the Nairobi Branch Rapid Response Team, we caused the arrest of Sharon Adunya Atieno, who had impersonated one of our Advocates and was using the alias Sharon Atieno Adunya Obade,” said Theuri in a statement.
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