Brian Mwenda, the young Kenyan who was exposed masquerading as a High Court of Kenya advocate, has been on many people’s minds for the past week.
Kenyans took to social media to air their views after Mwenda was revealed to be a forger who impersonated another person with the same name in order to practice in Kenyan courts.
Several videos of Mwenda in court, making submissions and defending his clients, have also surfaced online.
Among the many stories from this saga that truly went viral was the one about Mwenda winning all 26 cases; many people took this claim to be true and viewed him as a hero.
However, the Law Society of Kenya, represented by its president Eric Theuri, has refuted Mwenda’s victory in the 26 cases in question, branding him a forger who ought to be taken into custody and charged with impersonation.
Sadly, some international media have picked the story and made it fodder for the international audience without verifying it.
The Daily Mail in the United Kingdom, in particular, shared Mwenda’s image on social media with the caption, “‘Fake’ lawyer, ‘who won all 26 of his cases without legal training,’ arrested.”
With the screaming headline that Mwenda won 26 cases, the world sat back and shared its thoughts.
The comments were not only hilarious. Some were very genuine, with calls being made for the relevant stakeholders to hand Mwenda recognition for prior learning and just give him a license.
“Give him RPL ed (recognition of prior learning) and just give him his license,” one person said.
Another said: “Based on his previous performance, I would suggest he defends himself.”
Yet more comments trickled in:
“He needed to be a real lawyer! With that kind of skill and natural gift! Shame on the 26 lawyers who lost against his case!”
“Does it really matter if he’s qualified. Some people are excellent at things they didn’t qualify for and have a natural talent. I never went to uni to do a teaching degree yet I own my own drama school and I am a successful teacher and have for years!”
“The lawyers who lost against him should be arrested.”
“That tells me, law isn’t actually a course but something to do with critical thinking and strong reasoning ability. That may be a natural talent for naturally talented or it’s taught to those who want to develop and adopt this talent too!”
“He was born with relevant knowledge and skills”
Locally, opinion is split about Mwenda’s case. While lawyers are up in arms against him for faking it, others, including former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and COTU sec. gen. Francis Atwoli want him protected.
Mwenda’s case prompted a police and Theuri-led crackdown on bogus lawyers.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Mulele Ingonga has also called on the police to investigate the matter with the aim of apprehending and charging Mwenda.
