Fred Ojiambo and Paul Gachuhi at Centre of Explosive Forgery Storm Rocking Kaplan and Stratton
A major legal storm is engulfing one of Kenya’s most prestigious law firms after Senior Counsel Fred Ojiambo and his partner Paul Gachuhi were dragged into a widening scandal involving alleged forgery, deception and abuse of court process.
The controversy now threatens to shake the reputation of Kaplan and Stratton, a firm long viewed as one of the most respected legal institutions in the country. At the centre of the unfolding drama are claims that senior partner Paul Gachuhi forged the will of former Attorney General James Karugu, triggering investigations and a fierce legal battle that has drawn in powerful figures.
Senior Counsel Fred Ojiambo, an eighty year old veteran advocate and church elder at Nairobi Baptist Church, is now facing intense scrutiny as questions mount over his role in a matter that has placed the firm under a harsh national spotlight. Ojiambo’s credibility has come under renewed attack after former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju formally reported him to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over claims that he facilitated the filing of a false affidavit in a commercial dispute involving the East African Development Bank.
Speaking to the press, Tuju accused Ojiambo of hiding behind a public image of integrity while allegedly filing misleading court documents intended to dispossess his family of property acquired over decades. Tuju claimed the actions placed his family at risk and questioned the senior counsel’s conduct both professionally and morally.
The forgery claims linked to Kaplan and Stratton have further intensified the crisis. Victoria Nyambura Karugu, daughter of the late former Attorney General, has accused Gachuhi and six others of orchestrating what she describes as an elaborate forgery of her father’s will. She claims the disputed document contains glaring grammatical errors inconsistent with her father’s writing style and bears forged initials. According to her filings, forensic analysis suggests the will may have been assembled through what she calls a crude cut and paste process.
Six suspects, including a pastor from Nyandarua, have been accused of participating in the alleged scheme. In a development that has sparked debate within legal circles, Ojiambo has taken up the defence of the suspects despite growing claims of conflict of interest given his senior position at the same firm where Gachuhi practices.
The Office of the Attorney General has since backed the investigations, stating that forgery is a criminal offence that must be fully investigated and prosecuted. In court filings, the Attorney General supported the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, arguing that attempts by the suspects to halt investigations amounted to an abuse of the court process.
Courtroom drama escalated after claims emerged that Ojiambo initially declined to hand over the disputed will to investigators, citing a court order allegedly barring the DCI from accessing the document. That assertion was later challenged in court, and Gachuhi was ultimately compelled to surrender the will for forensic examination.
Further controversy arose after Ojiambo allegedly sought to have the Director of Public Prosecutions intervene in the succession dispute, a request that was reportedly rejected. The move left the senior counsel facing heightened scrutiny both professionally and publicly.
Meanwhile, Nyambura has filed an application seeking to formally join the High Court proceedings, arguing that her earlier exclusion from the case was deliberate and calculated. She has presented extensive documentation, including what she describes as findings by investigators that were not initially presented to the court when the suspects secured orders halting their arraignment on forgery and conspiracy charges.
The unfolding saga has placed Kaplan and Stratton under unprecedented pressure, with legal observers warning that the outcome of the investigations could have far reaching implications for the firm and the individuals involved. If the allegations are proven, those implicated could face disciplinary action, professional sanctions and possible criminal prosecution.
What was once seen as an unassailable legal institution now finds itself at the centre of one of the most closely watched legal scandals in recent years, with reputations and careers hanging in the balance.
