By Frank Kamuntu
Kenyan authorities have apprehended a man, Brian Mwenda, who falsely portrayed himself as a lawyer practicing in the high court of Kenya. Surprisingly, Mwenda managed to argue and secure victories in 26 cases before High Court Judges, Magistrates, and Court of Appeal Judges. However, his successful streak was short-lived as he was arrested.
Preliminary investigations suggest that this imposter employed a common international fraud scheme known as Business Email Compromise (BEC).
Under this deceptive strategy, Brian Mwenda exploited the inactivity of a genuine advocate’s status. He initiated contact with the secretariat under the pretense of applying for payment of his Practicing Certificate (PC). However, due to incorrect email credentials, his initial application was denied.
Nevertheless, Mwenda managed to gain unauthorized access to the account and swiftly took control of the portal. In a bid to camouflage his true identity, he altered his profile picture and workplace details. What’s more, he submitted an application for a practicing certificate and even made the corresponding payment. Unfortunately for Mwenda, his application couldn’t proceed as he was required to provide specific documents, including a certificate of business incorporation. This added layer of security was vital, and without the required documentation, the application remained in limbo.
Brian Mwenda’s ruse was exposed when the Law Society of Kenya’s (LSK) Nairobi Branch received complaints from the public. Promptly, the Nairobi Branch took action, declaring unequivocally that Mwenda was not a legitimate advocate. They stated that he lacked the necessary license to practice as a lawyer in Kenya.
