Alarm as bogus lawyers on the loose

By Robert Nyasato  

They roam corridors and precints of Kisii High Court, offering cheaper rates to unsuspecting clients

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Kisii Chapter has raised alarm over bogus advocates in the county.

 Investors and the public are losing millions of shillings in transactions drafted and certified by the fake advocates.

 Most affected are private investors in property and real estate dealing in land transactions, building acquisitions and motor vehicle purchases, among others.

Yesterday, LSK said it is investigating the issue. “Most people only realise they are holding onto invalid agreement documents when disputes arise because they were drawn and signed by bogus advocates,” chapter secretary Gideon Nyambati told The Standard.

Putting the public on high alert, Nyambati warned there are many individuals masquerading as advocates in the region, citing an incident where a private developer lost Sh10 million after it emerged a transaction for land sale was drafted and signed by a fake lawyer. He said most of those involved in the vice are former employees in advocates’ firms or current ones who shortchange their employers to con clients.

“In some instances, they use stamps of duly registered advocates firms but append their signatures and names as lawyers, making the transactions null and void,” Nyambati said.

He noted that some lawyers are also to blame as they had opened offices in the area but failed to hire full time advocates, giving clerical officers a leeway to pose as lawyers.

The secretary singled out three companies operating in Kisii, which have swindled clients with agreements that would not stand in any court of law.

Practising licences

 Investigation by The Standard revealed that the bogus lawyers roam the corridors and precincts of Kisii High Court presenting themselves as advocates to unsuspecting residents seeking legal services.

“The public fall prey to the impersonators since they offer cheaper rates compared to advocates,” Nyambati added. He said about 50 lawyers had practising licenses in the region that covers Kisii, Nyamira, Homa Bay, Migori counties and Transmara in Narok County. 

The society advised the public to check with it the list of duly licensed advocates to avoid losing money to the tricksters.