Fred Ojiambo and Paul Gachuhi in Explosive Kaplan & Stratton Forgery Storm
A major legal storm is building around Senior Counsel Fred Ojiambo and Paul Gachuhi, senior partners at Kaplan & Stratton, following explosive allegations of forgery and deception.
The controversy threatens to shake one of Kenya’s most respected law firms and tarnish reputations built over decades.
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Alleged Forgery of James Karugu’s Will
At the center of the scandal is an accusation that Paul Gachuhi forged the will of former Attorney General James Karugu.
Victoria Nyambura Karugu, the late AG’s daughter, claims the disputed will is an “elaborate cut-and-paste forgery.” She alleges the document contains poor grammatical errors inconsistent with her father’s writing style and forged initials.
According to her court filings, forensic examination revealed the will may have been manipulated.
Six suspects, including a pastor from Nyandarua, are accused of involvement in the alleged forgery. In a dramatic twist, they have appointed Fred Ojiambo to represent them.
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Kaplan & Stratton Under Scrutiny
Kaplan & Stratton now faces serious questions about what it knew and when.
Critics argue that the firm may have been entangled in what they describe as a two-year cover-up. The situation has intensified scrutiny of the firm’s internal governance and professional standards.
The Attorney General Dorcas Oduor has backed investigations, stating that forgery is a criminal offence that must be prosecuted.
In court documents, the AG supported the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), describing attempts to block investigations as an abuse of court process.
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Raphael Tuju Files Complaint Against Ojiambo
The controversy deepened after former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju reported Fred Ojiambo to the DCI.
Tuju alleges that Ojiambo facilitated the filing of a false affidavit in a dispute involving the East African Development Bank (EADB).
While addressing the press, Tuju accused the senior counsel of filing misleading court documents. He further claimed that his family had been put at risk.
Ojiambo has denied wrongdoing.
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Courtroom Drama and Disputed Will
Court proceedings escalated when Ojiambo allegedly refused to surrender the disputed will to investigators, claiming a court order barred the DCI from accessing it.
However, court filings indicate that claim was challenged. Gachuhi was eventually compelled to surrender the document for forensic examination.
Victoria Nyambura Karugu has now formally joined the High Court proceedings. She submitted extensive evidence, including DCI findings she claims were previously withheld when suspects secured ex parte orders stopping their arraignment.
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Professional and Criminal Risks
If the allegations are proven, Fred Ojiambo and Paul Gachuhi could face severe professional consequences. Potential outcomes include disciplinary action, removal from Kaplan & Stratton, and criminal liability.
The case now stands as one of the most high-profile legal controversies in recent years.
As investigations continue, the legal community and the public await answers about the integrity of one of Kenya’s most prestigious law firms.