Two women masquerading as lawyers arrested in Kasarani
Police on Wednesday, February 28, arrested two women suspected of operating an illegal advocate’s office in Nairobi’s Kasarani area.
The two were apprehended by detectives and Law Society of Kenya (LSK) officials while operating from a flat near Kasarani police station.
The suspects are set for arraignment in court to face charges of impersonation and forgery of legal documents.
The LSK Rapid Action team led by Stephen Mbugua said fake lawyers have now changed their tact and resorted to operating in residential areas.
“Various transaction documents were recovered from the duo, including property transfers and wills,” Mbugua said.
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He warned members of the public and fellow members of the legal profession against enlisting unqualified individuals for legal tasks, saying they risk facing disciplinary measures, including deregistration.
The latest arrest came just weeks after a man was arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts on February 20, 2024, charged with impersonating an advocate of the High Court and issuing a fake demand letter to an unsuspecting member of the public.
According to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Simon Githu Mbugua, 61, had issued a fake demand letter to a member of the public who had been conned of Sh20,000.
Serious Crime Unit detectives arrested the suspect on Monday, February 26, at Muindi Mbingu Street in the Nairobi CBD after he had forwarded the demand letter claiming to be an advocate.
“Simon Githu Mbugua was arrested on Monday, February 19, 2024, at Muindi Mbingu Street in Nairobi CBD after writing and forwarding the demand letter while pretending to be Winny A. Ochwal Advocates – Commissioner for Oaths,” the DCI stated.
Detectives later searched his office in the CBD, where a stamp bearing the name of the lawyer he claimed to be was recovered.
“During the search at his office in Kimathi Hse, a stamp bearing the name of the lawyer he claimed to be was recovered before he was arrested and detained at Muthaiga Police Station,” DCI said.
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He was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 pending the case hearing on March 5, 2024.
The arrests came when LSK said there was a surge in unlicensed people acting as lawyers. They regretted that the masqueraders had been approaching vulnerable clients to offer them legal counsel on various matters in court only to defraud them millions following which they vanished.
More than thirty quack lawyers have been since the crackdown kicked off in January.
Among persons found to be illegally offering legal services are former clerks for certified lawyers, law school dropouts, and some civil servants who are well-versed in legal matters.