Runda woman facing house-help assault case represented by fake lawyer, court told
A woman charged with torturing her house-help was represented by an unqualified lawyer while taking a plea on Wednesday, the court was told.
Ms Beatrice Muthoni Nderitu has been accused of holding Ms Mercy Mwaki captive and beating her up while working as a domestic worker at Runda Paradise Estate along Kiambu Road, which she denied.
On Thursday, she was in court for a determination on whether she would be freed on bond when Ms Beryl Achieng’ told Kiambu Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo that Mr Daniel Muli Masika, who acted as her lawyer on Wednesday, was unqualified.
Mr Muli introduced himself to the court as a lawyer and even went ahead to make applications on behalf of Ms Nderitu, who was arrested on Tuesday.
This is after Ms Mwake accused her of assault and holding her captive for four years. She claimed Ms Nderitu assaulted her between 2017 and March 24, 2018, injuring her.
NOT QUALIFIED
Ms Achieng’ told the court that she had been informed that Mr Muli, who was in the court’s precincts on Thursday morning before disappearing, was not a qualified lawyer after she inquired from the Law Society. The Society said he was not in their register.
Ms Atambo said the alleged imposter “will soon” be held accountable.
The prosecution and complainant’s counsel requested to the court to deny the accused bond on grounds that, through her husband, she was already interfering with witnesses including Ms Mwake.
They had told the court that Ms Mwake had retracted after being influenced by Ms Nderitu’s husband, a claim she rubbished through her lawyer Jared Orali.
The accused was granted bond and the case set for hearing on May 23.