Prominent leaders, including Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, have expressed their willingness to assist a man who was recently arrested in Nairobi for impersonating a lawyer.
The man was taken into custody on allegations of falsely presenting himself as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, leading to a mixture of reactions among the Kenyan public. He had managed to argue 26 cases and achieve victories in all of them before his arrest.
In a statement released on Friday, Martha Karua praised the man for what she described as “unmatched confidence” and pledged to support him in realizing his dream of becoming a legitimate lawyer. She offered to sponsor his education to any level he desires, emphasizing his remarkable confidence.
Samson Cherargei, in turn, expressed his commitment to mentor and guide the arrested man to become an accomplished legal practitioner in high courts and commonwealth courts.
The arrest of the man was carried out by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Nairobi Branch Rapid Action Team (RAT), prompted by public complaints accusing him of false pretense. LSK issued a statement asserting that the man neither held the status of an advocate of the High Court of Kenya nor was a member of the society. He had falsely claimed to be an advocate by impersonating a genuine advocate whose practice status was inactive.
The advocate, who was admitted to the bar late last year, had not applied for a practice certificate since he was working at the office of the Attorney General. The matter was brought to the attention of LSK’s ICT department, which initiated the subsequent arrest.
Earlier in the day, Francis Atwoli, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions boss, described the arrested man as a brilliant Kenyan and offered his support. Atwoli advocated for the recognition of prior learning (RPL), emphasizing that many skilled and talented youth in Kenya have acquired their expertise through practical experience, self-study, and non-formal educational routes, often remaining marginalized by the formal education system. Atwoli asserted that the formal sector should consider qualifications acquired through non-traditional pathways.
