A Court in Machakos has denied bail to a man accused of coning citizens by impersonating a lawyer.
Pius Kimathi Munyua is said to have obtained money from the public illegally in the pretext of being an advocate of the High Court and also a Magistrate of Machakos Law Court.
“The report to the bail term is not ready for the court to consider to grand or to deny bond. I will for that reason allow the DPO more time to compile and file detailed report.” Chief Magistrate Evans Keago said on Wednesday, July 7 while delivering the ruling.
Munyua is facing crime charges of forgery of judicial stamp, forgery of judicial documents, personification as an advocate of the High Court, forgery of signatures for several Magistrates among other charges.
It is alleged that Munyua forged several magistrates’ signatures which include that of Chief Magistrate A.G Kabiru and Irene Kahuya.
In the first count of personification, the charge sheet read that “contrary to section 31 as read with section 33 of the Advocates Act CAP 16 Laws of Kenya , on 19th November 2019, Munyua at Kelly, Kamura and Machogu advocates in Machakos, he faked to be an advocate of the high court of Kenya to Wayua Mutiso Nguu and assumed the role of an advocate of the High Court of Kenya by filling judicial documents namely petition for letters of administration intestate in a succession cause number E154 of 2021 in respect of Wayua Mutiso Nguu in estate of Mutiso Nguu Kivindyo having not been admitted to the role of an advocate of the high court of Kenya.”
Munyua is also accused to have tricked several people and obtained their money while pretending to be an advocate of Machakos Law Courts on several occasions in 2019.
“On obtaining money on false pretense contrary to section 313 of the penal code, Munyua on diverse dates between 19 October 2019 and 12 August 2019 in Machakos town, without reasonable cause while purporting to be an advocate of the High Court of Kenya based in Machakos, he obtained Ksh100,000 from Gilliad Nzioka Kivuva acting on behalf of Wayua Mutiso Nguu as fees to estate succession cause at the Machakos law court, a fact Munyua knew was false,” the court documents seen by K24 Digital read.
The charge sheet further detailed that, “on 19 October 2019 and 12 August 2019 in Machakos town with intent to deceive or defraud, Munyua forged the signature of I. M Kinyua Senior Resident Magistrate of Machakos Law Court on a grand of letters of Administration intestate in succession cause No. 125 of 2019 in the estate of Mutiso Nguu Kivindyo (deceased).”
The court ruled that Munyua be detained at Machakos Police Station pending a pre-trial request for release to be heard on 13 July 2021.
