Peter Ngeri Ouma admitted not holding a valid practising certificate while appearing in a Kenyan court representing three men accused of fraudulently masquerading as lawyers, though said he had applied for one.

His clients are accused of visiting cybercafes to offer legal services to patrons, despite having no qualifications.

Police removed Ouma from the courtroom in Kisii at the direction of the judge, according to Kenyan news website Citizen Digital.

The three accused were released on bail and will appear again in court later this month.

The Law Society of Kenya’s Kisii branch said it would continue to take action against so-called fake lawyers, which it said are “everywhere, not just in cybercafes”.

“They are not only pretending to be advocates but also collecting money and tarnishing the names of our judicial officers,” it said.