In a startling twist unfolding in Kenya, a man posing as lawyer Brian Mwenda Ntwiga engineered a brazen fraud, winning 26 court cases despite having no formal legal training. According to reports from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the imposter — whose real name has been reported as Brian Mwenda Njagi — hacked into the LSK’s portal and manipulated the account of the legitimate advocate, Brian Mwenda Ntwiga. The Straits Times+2www.ndtv.com+2

Using the stolen identity, Njagi switched in his own photograph, updated details, and subsequently appeared in courtrooms across Kenya representing clients as if he were a certified legal practitioner. The LSK publicly confirmed that the legitimate Ntwiga never applied for a practising certificate and had not been active in representing clients, making the deception easier for the impostor to exploit. www.ndtv.com+1

The scale of the deception is remarkable. Reports say that the fake lawyer succeeded in 26 separate cases — convincing judges and clients alike — before his activities were uncovered. The Straits Times+1

The investigative break came when the rightful advocate Ntwiga attempted to access his portal account in September 2023 and discovered he was locked out. The LSK launched an emergency review and found that the account’s email address and other details had been altered. The imposter had apparently used the legitimate account created for Ntwiga on 5 August 2022 and replaced it with his own credentials. www.ndtv.com+1

Further charges say that Njagi not only hacked the account, but also forged admission and practising certificates, falsely claiming to be admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and practising law in 2022 and 2023 despite no record of his admission. People Daily

The LSK and law enforcement authorities have called the incident a serious breach of trust and integrity in the legal profession, warning that it poses risks both to clients and to the administration of justice. The case has triggered calls for tighter verification of legal practitioners and for safeguards in online professional-registration portals. The Straits Times+1

The broader implications are chilling: how could someone with zero formal legal education, and no legitimate certification, successfully appear in court after court and win? Analysts point to weaknesses in oversight, and to the fact that once one side is properly represented (or appears to be), the court may proceed without deeper verification of credentials. Moreover, the imposter’s mastery of appearance and paperwork enabled him to exploit the system.

As the prosecution progresses, Njagi faces multiple fraud and identity-theft charges, including creating and presenting forged documents purporting to give him the right to act as an advocate. People Daily

In conclusion, the saga of “Kenya’s fake lawyer who won 26 cases” exposes more than just a dramatic individual wrongdoing—it highlights vulnerabilities in regulatory systems, the importance of digital identity security in professional bodies, and the potential consequences when safeguards fail. It remains to be seen how the judiciary and legal regulators in Kenya will respond to ensure such a breach cannot be repeated.

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Sources:

• “Kenya Officials Arrest Fake Lawyer Who Won 26 Court Cases” – NDTV. www.ndtv.com

• “‘Kenya’s Mike Ross’: Fake lawyer who won all his cases becomes wanted man” – The Straits Times. The Straits Times

• “‘Fake lawyer’ Brian Mwenda used forged certificates, court told” – People Daily Kenya.