Brian Mwenda pleads not guilty in lawyer impersonation case

Brian Mwenda appears at Milimani Law Court in Nairobi. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Brian Mwenda Njagi has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in a case where he is accused of impersonating a city lawyer.

Mwenda is facing six charges including identity theft, forgery, and fraudulently acquiring a Certificate of Admission among others.

On Wednesday, October 18 appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina, in the company of his lawyer, Danstan Omari.

Former Nairobi Governor Miko Sonko was also in court accompanying Mwenda. Sonko on Tuesday, managed to secure Mwenda's freedom after a whole afternoon of grilling at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters along Kiambu Road.

On count one, Mwenda is accused of making a false document contrary to section 34 7(a) of the Penal Code CAP 63.

"Between August 30, 2022, and March 3, 2023, at an unknown place within the country, with intent to deceive, you knowingly and fraudulently made a false document namely a Certificate of Admission p.105/21249/22 in the name of Brian Mwenda N purporting it to be a Certificate of Admission to practice as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya duly issued by the Deputy Registrar of the High Court of Kenya," the charge sheet seen by The Standard read in part.

He is also accused of uttering a false document contrary to section 353 of the Penal Code.

"Between August 30, 2022, and March 3, 2023, at an unknown place within Kenya, with intent to deceive, you knowingly and fraudulently made a false document No. LSK/2023/01004 ADM. No.P.105/21249/22 purporting it to be a Practicing Certificate issued by the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary," the charge sheet read.

Mwenda appeared in court on Wednesday following summonses by the police who took his statement as part of the probe into claims of impersonation.

Brian was on Tuesday grilled at DCI for hours before being driven to Muthaiga Police Station where he was released on a Sh100,000 cash bail ahead of today's arraignment.