By Prudence Minayo
Nazir Bhaduralli NurMohammad Jinnah has an impressive resume as a lawyer and his clients list reads like who is who in the Kenyan business space. For about ten years, Mr Nazir has posed as a lawyer and duped unsuspecting Kenyans millions of shillings in legal representation fees all while covering his tracks like a pro.
Mr. Jinnah claimed to have worked with reputable firms both in Kenya and abroad including Khaminwa & Khaminwa, MMC-Asafo, Conrad Law and Consultancy, Piper May Solicitors (UK), and Mussolin & Dessel in the United States.
However, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, revealed he had no legal training as impersonation charges were brought against him.
Legal Fees and Clients
Over the years, the lawyer has represented many clients in different cases:
In 2012, A real estate firm known as Farhana Properties reached an agreement to sell a house. The directors were Harbans Singh Birdi and Shirin Akberali Jiwa. They were to split money from the sale equally and Ms Jiwa hired Mr. Jinnah. He was introduced to Mr. Birdi who claimed he was a legal consultant and partner at Khaminwa & Khaminwa Advocates.
In the course of the sale, he succeeded in persuading Anjarwalla & Khanna (the buyer’s lawyer) that he was representing Mr. Birdi as well. Mr Birdi, who was to receive, Sh22 million, says the layer pocketed Sh17 million.
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A year later, Mr. Birdi and his wife were sued over ownership of a property in Nyari estate and proceeded to hire Jinnah. The lawyer then hired Khaminwa & Khaminwa to file a constitutional petition seeking determination on the land’s ownership. He went on to ensure the client never met the top boss at Khaminwa & Khaminwa. He paid Jinnah Sh50,000 in legal work and when the case was about to be heard in 2017, he conveniently traveled to Canada, forcing Birdi to approach Dr. Khaminwa.
Losing Sh2.8 million
In another case, Mr. Birdi lost Sh2.8 million in a land sale that never went through. He was selling a land in Embakasi for Sh25 million. The land, however, had squatters. Mr. Jinnah asked to be paid Sh2.8 million to take care of their eviction but the buyer was unwilling to pay more money. The deal was cancelled but Mr. Birdi had already paid the Sh2.8 million.
Mr. Birdi’s son also claims to have fallen victim of the alleged fake Lawyer. While going through a divorce in the UK, he paid for Jinnah’s Transportation, legal fees and accommodation so he could represent him. However, he is afraid the divorce case would be problematic thanks to the revelations that be was a fake Lawyer. Mr. Birdi had also given the lawyer £500 to pass to his children which the lawyer never did and instead pocketed it.
“I am seeking to claim damages for all the monies paid to him due to his fraudulent activities and also possible jeopardy of my UK divorce case being executed by this person with little more than high school education,” he said.
Facing charges
The alleged con is facing charges for impersonating a top lawyer among others. Appearing before resident magistrate Muthoni Nzibe, he pleaded not guilty and was released on a bond of sh100,000 or alternative cash bail of Sh50,000.
At the same time, he is in the middle of the scandal concerning English Point Marina. The hotel made headlines after it was sued by 12 apartment buyers who claimed to have been locked out of the property. One of their complaints was that the staff at English Point Marina have been ordered to discriminate against black African homeowners. As the assets and legal affairs director, Mr. Jinnah is at the middle of this storm.
