Bakadde Kiwanuka

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 11 November 2021

Published date: 17 November 2021

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Akin Palmer LLP

Address(es): 12 Angel Gate, 326 City Road, Islington, EC1V 2PT

Firm ID: 521473

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

IN THE MATTER OF: Bakadde Kiwanuka formerly of London SE23 whose current whereabouts is not known.

A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor

THE FACTS

Between April 2011 and November 2018 Mr Kiwanuka was a self employed immigration adviser/case worker working at Akin Palmer LLP (and its predecessor) of 3 Angel Gate, 326 City Road London EC1V 2PT, a recognised body. Akin Palmer LLP ended his contract on 30 November 2018.

It was found that:

1. between 12 May 2017 and 1 October 2018 Mr Kiwanuka arranged for three separate clients to pay to him personally a total of £4,265 in advance for immigration services and failed to carry out the immigration services and failed to account to the clients and Akin Palmer LLP for the money.
2. Mr Kiwanuka failed to account to a client for the refund of a disbursement of US$864 (£727) which he received on 26 September 2018.

In relation to 1, it was found that Mr Kiwanuka’s conduct was dishonest.

Mr Kiwanuka was ordered to pay the SRA’s costs of £600 in investigating this matter.

FINDING

Mr Kiwanuka, who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.

ORDER

To make an order pursuant to section 43 that with effect from the date of the email notifying Bakadde Kiwanuka formerly of London, SE23 of this decision:

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body

except in accordance with the SRA’s permission.