Fake solicitor convicted of providing unlawful immigration advice

A Sierra Leone national has been sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court after providing unlawful immigration advice.

Martin Solomon Randolph Kekurah from Bermondsey was found guilty after he falsely claimed to be a solicitor with Clintons Solicitors.

The law firm had formerly been in existence but at the time the offences were committed had ceased trading. Kekurah was not qualified as a solicitor and had no connection to the firm.

Upon sentencing, Judge Nicolas Lorraine-Smith said: 'I'm satisfied you are manipulative and greedy. You have been preying on vulnerable people who needed immigration advice. You knew what you were doing was wrong and you have done everything possible to avoid detection and conviction.'

Commenting on the decision, Immigration Services Commissioner Suzanne McCarthy said: 'Illegally providing immigration advice is a serious offence, and the sentence handed down today reflects this. Peddling illegal immigration advice ruins people's lives.'

The news comes after a Luton-based solicitor was convicted on four counts of providing unregulated immigration advice at Luton Magistrates' Court in May 2015.

Flora Magdaline Mendes was convicted in her absence and sentenced to six months' imprisonment for each offence to run concurrently and suspended for two years.

Mendes pretended she was a regulated solicitor and practised under the firm name of Arch's Law. However, she had already been suspended from practice by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in January 2013.

John van der Luit-Drummond is deputy editor for Solicitors Journal
john.vanderluit@solicitorsjournal.co.uk | @JvdLD