NAIROBI, Kenya – A prominent Nairobi advocate is facing criminal investigation in connection with a brazen forgery scheme that altered High Court documents in the protracted battle for control of the SportPesa betting empire.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the lawyer is accused of manufacturing a fake court order that barred businessman Paul Wanderi Ndung’u from defending his multi-billion shilling stake in Pevans East Africa, the original owners of the SportPesa brand.
Investigators revealed that the original order, issued on January 12, 2023, by the High Court, was a temporary two-week injunction restraining Ndung’u from involvement in Pevans’ affairs until January 24 of that year.
However, the order was fraudulently altered to appear as a permanent injunction. The forged version was then filed at the Court of Appeal, deceiving Justices Daniel Musinga, Mumbi Ngugi, and George Odunga into dismissing Ndung’u’s application to join a case involving Milestone Games and the Betting Control and Licensing Board.
“This was a deliberate attempt to pervert the course of justice and manipulate judicial outcomes in favour of one faction,” a DCI officer familiar with the case said.
It took nearly two years for the fraud to be uncovered. In a recent ruling, the same appellate bench acknowledged they had been misled and reversed their earlier decision, reinstating Ndung’u’s right to participate in the SportPesa litigation.
The revelations have rocked the legal fraternity, with concerns raised about integrity within the profession. “If proven, this is not just professional misconduct, it is criminal fraud at the heart of our justice system,” said constitutional lawyer Steve Ogolla.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has also weighed in, calling for swift disciplinary and criminal action. “Forgery of court documents strikes at the very foundation of justice.
Advocates implicated must face both professional sanctions and prosecution,” said LSK President Faith Odhiambo.
The SportPesa saga has long been mired in controversy, marked by boardroom wars, regulatory battles, and disputes among shareholders. The latest twist underscores the high stakes surrounding control of the lucrative gaming brand, whose revenues once dominated Kenya’s betting market.
As the DCI closes in on the lawyer and associated parties, pressure is mounting on authorities to ensure accountability. Civil society groups have urged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to fast-track charges.
For Ndung’u, the reversal offers a pathway back into the multi-billion shilling SportPesa fight. For the judiciary, it is a sobering reminder of how legal documents can be weaponized in corporate battles, and the urgent need to safeguard court processes from manipulation.
