Fake lawyer with no legal training wins dozens of cases
In Kenya, a fake lawyer named Brian Mwenda won 26 cases despite having no legal training. Mwenda, who practiced law for a long time without being caught, was praised as a 'brilliant young mind who succeeded without traditional qualifications.'
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The arrest of a 'lawyer' named Brian Mwenda, who practiced law in Kenya without any legal training, has divided the country. According to information from local media, Brian Mwenda Ntwiga, who practiced law and won more than 26 cases despite having no education in the field, managed to practice for a long time without being caught by using the name of another lawyer, Brian Mwenda, who had a nearly identical name. When the identity of the lawyer, who was quite successful during this period, was revealed, legal authorities in Kenya requested his arrest.
A Fake Lawyer named Brian Mwenda has been arrested in Kenya.
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) October 13, 2023
He won all 26 cases he handled before his arrest. pic.twitter.com/NmdgzWNel2
DIVIDED THE COUNTRY
In a report by Sputnik; in the debate that divided the country, the fake lawyer won the affection of millions. While people flooded social media with messages of support for the fake lawyer, and former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko called those attacking the fake lawyer 'fools,' the fake lawyer, who was praised by the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) as a 'brilliant young mind who succeeded without traditional qualifications,' gathered many supporters.
It was also understood that the cases won by the fake lawyer were not simple ones. According to statements by the Nigerian Tribune, the fake lawyer successfully did his 'job' despite being involved in many different types of cases, including those before magistrates, the Court of Appeal, and High Court judges. According to the report, Mwenda managed to present himself as a qualified lawyer for a long time, and judges did not doubt his abilities until his arrest.
The Law Society of Kenya posted on the social media platform X regarding the fake lawyer, stating that Brian Mwenda was not a lawyer:
Notice: It has been brought to the attention of the LSK Nairobi Branch through the Rapid Action Team (RAT), that the above pictured person has been presenting and conducting himself as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a member of LSK Nairobi Branch. pic.twitter.com/v3Bx75Fmgn
— LSK Nairobi Branch (@lsk_nbi) October 12, 2023
According to a report on Ghana Web, Mwenda somehow gained access to the legal portal, changed the account details of a lawyer with a very similar name, and uploaded his own photo. Although he practiced law this way for a while, it was noticed that the legitimate lawyer whose identity he stole could no longer log into the system, and the details began to be investigated. Upon investigation, it was announced that the fake lawyer, who had been practicing since his admission to the profession and had won 26 cases, did not have a law license.
Following his arrest, the lawyer made a statement in response to the messages of love pouring in on social media. The fake but successful lawyer said, "I would like to thank all my supporters. I want to convey my gratitude to the people who support me and pray for me. In time, I will clear up this misunderstanding because I am innocent."
FAKE LAWYER REMINDS PEOPLE OF THE SERIES 'SUITS'
Upon the news spreading on social media platforms, while many users made comments in favor of the lawyer, many others made references to the series *Suits*, which reached a large audience when it was aired. In the series, a very smart young man also practices law without legal training and achieves great success.
On social media, a tweet from a user who shared the fake lawyer from the series and wrote, "We have heard this story before," received more than 2 thousand likes and more than 150 thousand views. Some also began to refer to the fake lawyer as the African Mike Ross.
We have seen this movie before pic.twitter.com/HhugcKLQWE
— Victor Babatunde (@vhic_tore) October 13, 2023