Lawyer Benard Odero has described his recent arrest as a targeted “manhunt”, alleging that criminal proceedings against him were being used to intimidate him in a KSh150 million legal fee dispute with former clients.
Speaking after his release, Odero questioned the circumstances surrounding his arrest, arguing that the dispute was fundamentally commercial and should have been resolved through the appropriate legal mechanisms rather than criminal proceedings.
The advocate said he had represented the former clients in an Environment and Land Court case that resulted in a KSh1.04 billion judgment in their favour.
According to Odero, the parties had agreed on legal fees of KSh150 million. He alleges that his former clients subsequently withdrew about KSh700 million from the judgment proceeds without settling the fees owed to his firm.
The disagreement later moved to court, where Odero said he obtained orders stopping further payments to the clients as he pursued recovery of the disputed legal fees.
He further claimed that his former clients later offered to pay him KSh1.5 million against the KSh150 million he says had been agreed upon, an offer he rejected.
Odero said his arrest came against this background and at a sensitive stage of the fee dispute.
He alleged that he was arrested without first being issued with formal summons and questioned whether the timing of the arrest was intended to exert pressure on him ahead of another commercial court hearing scheduled for October.
Describing the incident as a “manhunt”, Odero maintained that the criminal case was being used as a pressure tactic rather than to address a genuine criminal offence.
The lawyer also challenged allegations that he had forged instructions relating to the case.
He questioned the basis of the claim, arguing that his former clients continued to benefit from the KSh1.04 billion judgment obtained in the matter in which he represented them.
Odero said he intends to challenge the allegations in court and pursue legal action against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over statements he considers defamatory in relation to his arrest and the case.
His colleague, lawyer Felix Keaton, separately criticised the manner of Odero’s arrest, describing it as a “commando-style” operation.
Keaton alleged that advocates and staff at Odero’s chambers were harassed during the incident and similarly maintained that the underlying dispute was primarily about legal fees.
He accused authorities of being used to intimidate Odero ahead of the pending commercial proceedings.
The High Court subsequently intervened, issuing orders directing Odero’s immediate and unconditional release and restraining further prosecution pending the court proceedings.
Odero has maintained that he will contest the criminal allegations, framing the case as a broader test of whether advocates can enforce legitimate fee agreements without being subjected to criminal proceedings following disputes with former clients.
The allegations made by Odero and Keaton remain contested, and the criminal accusations against the lawyer have not been established as fact. The ongoing court proceedings are expected to determine the legal issues surrounding the case.
