- Confusion rocked Kisii Law Courts when a man representing fake lawyers turned out to be a fake lawyer himself
- The alleged impostor, Peter Ngeri Ouma, was exposed after failing to prove he had a valid practising certificate
- A magistrate ordered his arrest after an LSK representative demanded he faces the same charges as his clients
- The suspects were freed on bond as LSK vowed to intensify its crackdown on fake advocates
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
There was drama at the Kisii Law Courts after it emerged that a man who had appeared to represent suspects accused of being fake lawyers was himself a fake lawyer.
Source: UGC
The bizarre scene unfolded during a plea hearing for three suspects arrested within Kisii town for allegedly posing as advocates and offering legal services to unsuspecting clients at local cybercafes.
How did fake lawyer end up in Kisii court?
What began as a routine court session quickly turned into a spectacle that left the courtroom in shock and laughter.
One of the suspects had arrived ready to take plea, accompanied by a man who introduced himself as his advocate, Peter Ngeri Ouma.
He confidently stood to represent his clients and addressed the court, but his composure soon began to crack under scrutiny.
The exchange that followed exposed a deeper problem facing the legal profession in Kisii and Kenya at large.
Senior Principal Magistrate Benard Omwansa questioned Ouma’s credentials after the prosecution raised concerns about his identity and qualifications.
When asked whether he had a valid practising certificate, Ouma admitted he did not, saying only that he had applied for one.
Magistrate Omwansa pressed further, forcing the young lad posing as a lawyer to answer him.
“Do you have a practising certificate as we speak? Do you have or do you not?” he asked.
“I did apply for the same,” Ouma responded hesitantly.
“Which question are you answering? I am asking, do you have a practising certificate or do you not… currently?” the magistrate repeated.
Ouma paused again, then mumbled:
“I did pay for the same.”
“But you don’t have it, isn’t it?” the magistrate asked.
“I don’t have it,” Ouma finally admitted.
At that point, a lawyer representing the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Kisii Branch intervened, saying Ouma should also be arrested.
He called out the ‘lawyer’, pointing out that he was encouraging the behaviour they are fighting against.
“Your honour, these are the vices we are fighting to rid off this profession and he’s here protecting the same people we are fighting who are doing what he’s doing. This is a person who should be arrested and take plea like the others,” he said
What action did the Kisii court take against the impostor?
The heated exchange forced Omwansa to act, directing police officers in the courtroom to eject Ouma and take his statement on the incident.
“You can take care of him as he records a statement and the investigations to follow. In other words, you don’t have the audience without the certificate,” the magistrate ruled.
The three accused were later released on a KSh 50,000 bond each, with their case scheduled for mention on November 13, 2025.
Source: UGC
According to reports, Ouma has allegedly been posing as a licensed advocate in Kisii for an extended period, handling cases and collecting fees from unsuspecting clients.
His arrest and the ongoing crackdown by the LSK have drawn attention to the growing problem of impostors operating within the justice system.
The LSK Kisii Branch said the operation to flush out unqualified persons from the profession would continue.
“We are appealing to everyone that those people are everywhere, not just in cybercafes. They are not only pretending to be advocates but also collecting money and tarnishing the names of our judicial officers,” the LSK stated.
Fake advocates busted in Bungoma
In a related incident in Bungoma town, the LSK arrested five people accused of running four law firms without proper credentials.
The suspects had been posing as lawyers, handling client files, title deeds, and even representing clients in both physical and virtual court sessions.
The arrests followed public complaints about impostors exploiting unsuspecting clients.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
