In the unpredictable world of law, you don't choose who walks into your office, meaning you get to meet clients from all walks of life with unique, interesting, and, in some instances, shocking or life-changing cases.
Nelson Havi, the former President of the Law Society of Kenya and an established advocate in the country, narrated an incident where three young men approached him to be their legal counsel in a case involving an alleged fraudulent sale of a city hotel.
After listening to the young men, Havi asked them to deposit five million shillings into his account, after which he would appear for them in court.
His initial assessment was that this was just another high-stakes case; what followed was a chilling reminder of the thin line lawyers walk between justice and danger.
According to Havi, after asking the young men to make the decision, he consulted with a colleague named Mugambi Imanyara, who advised him against taking the case, which saved his life.
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"Some young men sold Sirona Hotel using a fake title and received Kshs 200M. They came to me when the DCI attached their accounts with only Kshs25 million remaining. I asked them to deposit a fee of Ksh 5 million before I could move to court. In the evening we had maji ya anasa with Mugambi Imanyara and I told him about it. He told me, those men are the walking dead. Do not take their money," Havi narrated.
A week after taking Imanyara's advice and staying away from the case, Havi saw a car filled with bullet holes parked at the Parklands police station.
Upon inquiry, he was informed that it belonged to the young men who had visited his office. The young men had allegedly been murdered together with the lawyer who took their case.
"A week later, I saw a bullet-ridden Mercedes Benz 200C across my office at Parklands Station. I asked the OCPD, my schoolmate from Musingu what happened. He told me, “wale Mawakili wa Sirona na client wao waliumwa wote. Hakuna kesi tena"," he posted.
Borrowing from the above experience and others he's encountered in his career, Havi warned youthful lawyers against engaging in unscrupulous deals to advance their careers.
He urged younger colleagues in the legal profession against going for quick money, arguing that it can easily result in their death.
"To my Bazukulu in the legal profession, especially the 10 youthful advocates. I write to you from the City of Corinth. I plead with you, to live an honest life and practice justly. The love for quick money will only bring you quick death: a bullet through the forehead," he wrote.
