In Kenya, a man accused of practicing law without proper qualifications has entered a not guilty plea in court.
Identified as Brian Mwenda Njagi in the official charge sheet, he was brought before a court in Nairobi following his arrest on Tuesday.
He is facing charges related to the alleged forgery of official documents to operate as a lawyer and for identity theft.
Local media has referred to him as the “fake lawyer,” and it’s reported that he has won numerous legal cases despite lacking formal legal training.
However, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) disputes these claims.
According to LSK Chairman Eric Theuri, “To our knowledge, Mr Mwendwa has been appearing in court for at least eight or nine months, and it’s impossible to complete that number of cases unless they are in small claims courts that are concluded within 60 days.”
The LSK’s investigations have revealed that he possesses a counterfeit law degree from Strathmore University and a bar admission letter with a forged signature of the late Chief Justice Evans Gicheru, who served from 2003 to 2011.
Despite these allegations, Brian Mwenda has received praise from Kenya’s Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) as a “brilliant young mind” who has achieved success “without traditional qualifications.”
He has also garnered support from Mike Sonko, the controversial former governor of Nairobi.
While Mr. Mwenda has been on police bail since his arrest, he maintains his innocence and intends to run for a parliamentary seat in the 2027 elections.
At the end of the court proceedings for the day, he was remanded in custody until a bail hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Source-BBC
