In an update on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Eric Theuri disclosed that Brian Mwenda, a university student accused of impersonating a lawyer, is currently being investigated at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) offices. The LSK president mentioned that substantial evidence has been collected against Mwenda during the ongoing investigations.
The statement from Theuri reads, “Brian Mwenda Njagi is now at DCI. We are going to ensure that he faces the full force of the Law. The evidence gathered so far points to several cases of forgery and identity theft.” He further added, “Further inquiries are ongoing. We are working closely with the DCI team to conduct thorough and extensive investigations. This case will be a deterrent for future masqueraders.”
Brian Mwenda Njagi had been practicing law without a proper license, even representing ex-Mungiki leader Maina Njenga in televised court proceedings. Theuri provided information on Mwenda’s alleged impersonation to the DCI.
According to Theuri, Mwenda adopted the name of a legitimate advocate, also named Brian Mwenda, and posed as him. The real Mwenda became aware of the situation when he attempted to apply for a law practicing certificate but couldn’t access his account on the LSK portal. An investigation into the matter unveiled the imposter’s strategy.
The impersonator took control of advocate Mwenda’s account, altering login details, profile picture, and workplace before applying and paying for a practicing certificate. However, the application process was left incomplete since additional required documents were lacking.
The LSK has initiated a review of its protocols regarding changes to membership credentials to enhance internal approval mechanisms, as stated by Theuri.
In the midst of these allegations, Mwenda’s father, Arnold Njagi, has come to his defense, asserting that his son is a qualified lawyer. According to Arnold Njagi, his son completed a diploma course in criminology in 2016, pursued studies at Strathmore University from 2017 to 2020, and subsequently joined the Kenya School of Law in 2021, completing his studies in December 2022. His first case involved representing a family member, wherein he filed an appeal application. Unfortunately, he received no response to his application and has been practicing law in Nairobi until recent claims were made about his qualifications.
