A court in Meru has detained a man alleged to have been engaging in legal practice without a license for one year.
The suspect identified as James Kimathi Muthuri was arrested on Monday following a raid by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) at his office and arraigned for impersonation.
While appearing before Tigania Law Courts Magistrate Rose Ongila on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, the suspect pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge, claiming he works in his uncle's law firm and is currently still pursuing a law degree.
However, LSK says the office does appear in their list of law firms in Kenya.
“Muthuri has been masquerading as an advocate and indeed appeared before court number 3 and represented clients when he knows he is not qualified,” Marias Maranya, the lawyer representing the LSK, said.
“He even had the audacity of opening a law office in a market called Muriri but when LSK officials raided the office to seek the licences, the man literally took off.”
The matter has been scheduled to be mentioned before another court on May 2, 2023, since the alleged fake lawyer has appeared before Magistrate Rose Ongila as an advocate on all his cases.
The magistrate, therefore, recused herself arguing that she is a person of interest or otherwise a witness in the case.
“The accused person appeared before this court on March 28, 2023, acting as an advocate. It is clear from the above that I cannot hear or make any decision on the matter since potentially am a witness…so to promote fair hearing I recuse myself from handling this matter,” she said.
The suspect was denied bail and will be detained for 14 days.
