The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fake lawyer

  • Warehouse keepers, marketer charged with N156m fraud

    TWO shopkeepers and a marketer, were yesterday brought before an Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding a motorcycle company of N156million.

    Adebayo Gbadebo, 40, of 2, Kojumole Street, Opa, Ile-Ife, Osun State; Adebambo Aderemi, 36, of Prince Momoh Street, Igando, Lagos and Kareem Lukman, 36, of Lagos Island, were said to have committed the offence between January 2017 and last December at Akebono Industrial Co., Nig., Ltd., Aba, Abia State.

    They were arraigned by the Zone II Police Command before Chief Magistrate Afolashade Botoku on a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, fraud and forgery.

    Read also: Worker remanded for hotelier’s death

    Prosecuting Sergeant Chinedu Njoku alleged that they stole 370 units of Daylong Motorcycles, 470 pieces of Daylong Motorcycles all valued at N80million, which were entrusted to them as storekeepers and sales agent.

    “Gbadebo Adebayo fraudulently and unlawfully opened account numbers 2031998572 and 1015093186 domiciled at two banks with account name: Amaa Fran Nigeria Enterprises and used same to defraud Akebono Industrial Co. Ltd of N48million.

    “The defendants forged or unlawfully duplicated a release order/instruction issued by the management of Akebono Industrial Co. Ltd and used same to steal 101 units of Daylong Motorcycles valued at N28million and sold same to Ibrahim Aliyu at Kebbi State,” Njoku alleged.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Botoku granted them N2million bail with two sureties each in the like sum.

    The case continues on March 27.

  • Suspected fake lawyer remanded for ‘false pretence, perjury’

    A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday remanded an impersonation suspect, Bada Azeez Ayoola, in prison custody following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo made the order after Ayoola, 38, pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of impersonation, false pretence and making of false statement to the EFCC.

    The commission, in a charge marked FHC/L/172c/18, alleged that the defendant, of 55, Muyiwa Opaleye Street, Sanya, Surulere, Lagos, claimed to be a lawyer with a company named Bada Azeez Ayoola & Co, Legal and Property Consultant.

    On November 9, 2015 at Surulere, while posing as a lawyer, Ayoola allegedly issued an official receipt in his company name to Miss Chioma Okolie, evidencing payment for rent.

    The court heard that the defendant, on February 26, at the Ikoyi office of the EFCC, made a statement that he was a lawyer and rendered legal services to Miss Chioma Okolie, which he knew to be false.

    The defendant also allegedly claimed to be a graduate of Estate Management from the Lagos State Polytechnic.

    Prosecution counsel Mr. Temitope Banjo said the offences contravened sections 5, 8(b), 6(a), of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.

    The defendant also allegedly violated Section 109(a)(b) of the Criminal Act, 2007 as well as sections 16(1), 32(2) and 16(2) of the EFCC Act of 2004.

    Ayoola pleaded not guilty.

    His counsel, A. I. Iwowo, prayed the court for a short date for the defendant’s bail application to be heard.

    The EFCC did not oppose him.

    Justice Oguntoyinbo adjourned till November 22 for hearing of the bail application.

  • Activists urge police to arrest ‘fake lawyer’ in Delta

    RIGHTS group, Emissaries of the People International Organisation (EPIO) has called on the police in Delta Statel to probe the activities of Behind Bars Initiative (BBI) and its coordinator, Harrison Gwamishu, for alleged impersonation.

    EPIO accused Gwamishu for falsely parading himself as a lawyer, and allegedly defrauding the public.

    In a statement, the group alleged that BBI was not registered, and had no legal backing to operate as a rights body.

    EPIO, in the statement signed by Festus Elume and Emmanuel Orhorho, national chairman and secretary, described BBI and Gwamishu, as criminals.

    “We, Emissaries of the People International Organization condemn in the strongest terms the unprovoked, unwarranted and unnecessary assault of CSP Aniette Eyoh by one Mr. Harrison Gwamishu, Coordinator, Behind Bar Initiative (BBI)”.

    “Just as we don’t support policemen harassing innocent Nigerians, it is the same way we don’t support Nigerians assaulting a policeman let alone a Divisional Police Officer in his office”.

    “We discovered to our greatest surprise, that Mr. Harrison Gwamishu, Co-ordinator of Behind Bars Initiative (BBI), is not even a lawyer whereas on his facebook and twitter handle, he wore the wig and gown of a lawyer”.

    “We discovered also in the same vein that behind Bars Initiative it not even registered whereas Mr. Harrison Gwamishu claims it has been registered and he is using the name, medium and the purpose of the organization to extort money from unsuspecting members of the public”.

    “We call on the inspector general of Police, commissioner of Police, Delta State, to do more to protect our policemen. At least, policemen are human beings, not animals and spirit”.

    “Keeping silent while our policemen face this kind of attacks by Mr. Harrison Gwamishu and his cohorts is not the best way to motivate our policemen into making our society a better place”.

    “We, as a body, have taken it as a burden to ensure that Mr. Harrison Gwamishu and his cohorts are brought to justice by ensuring that the appropriate sanctions are melted out on him and his co-travelers”.

    “We call on the judiciary to ensure that people like Mr. Harrison Gwamishu and his cohorts are kept where they belong and the society is protected from people like this”, it said.

    Gwamishu denied the claim of being an impostor, saying the picture in which he was dressed as a lawyer was taken in a documentary he acted on prisons.

    He noted that having been imprisoned for four years and seeing how inmates suffer, he decided to do the documentary, acting a lawyer, adding that he only posted the picture on social media to demonstrate the role he played.

  • Police arrest fake lawyer for theft, impersonation

    The police in Lagos have arrested a 27- year- old man Destiny Otubambo, for allegedly parading himself as a lawyer and buying exotic cars, phones and other valuables with false bank transfers.

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Imohimi Edgal confirmed the arrest to newsman on Monday at Ikeja, advising business owners to be wary of fake bank transfers.

    According to Edgal, on May 12 the suspect allegedly approached a phone retailer  at Ikota Shopping Complex,  Lekki, Ajah Lagos.

    “He introduced himself as Mr Adeleke, a legal practitioner and requested for a Techno Camon X-pro phone valued at N77,500. He claimed he was cashless and wished to pay through telephone transfer the total sum of N377,500.

    “He was given the account details to which the said amount should be credited. After few minutes, he claimed he had credited the said sum.

    “To prove he had, he showed a debit alert from Zenith account number 2110746005, titled, Destiny Ayo Adeleke.

    “Believing it to be true, the shop owner released the phones to him and requested for his phone number. Unknown to her that it was a fake alert, the phone number was  unreachable and the account number non-existent,” he said.

    Edgal said detectives from FSARS and the local police component, got hold of one Marian Amuche,  the girlfriend of the suspect whose pictures were downloaded from the suspect’s Instagram page.

    “Exhibits recovered from him were two Techno phones, One I-phone, 10 SIM cards belonging to different networks, lawyers’ gowns and wigs.

    “The said Marian Amuche led detectives to arrest the principal suspect Destiny.

    “On interrogation, Destiny confessed to the crime and that he had sold the phones to buyers he met online,” the police further said.

    Speaking on the sidelines of his parade to newsmen, the suspect claimed he was a student of American University but dropped out of school because there was no money to continue his education.

    “I don’t go to court to represent anybody,  but I bought the gown and wig for N35,000 just to show off on my Instagram page that I am a lawyer. This is my fifth deal in defrauding people

    “The first one was in Port Harcourt where I generated a false alert and bought a car for N5million.  But the seller  did not sense it was false”.

    “I have  a false Zenith Bank account. I would falsify the original alert with the use of computer and make it look real,” he confessed.

    Edgal said that investigation was ongoing with a view to understanding the suspect’s modus operandi and discovering other crimes he may have committed through various SIM cards recovered from him. (NAN)

  • ‘Fake’ lawyer held at magistrates’ court

    The police have arrested a man described as a fake lawyer at the Ojo Magistrates’ Court.

    Uche Julian Nwajiakwu was arrested by some undercover operatives of the Lagos State Police Command on May 25.

    He is the second fake lawyer to be arrested at Ojo Magistrates’ Court. The first is Chris Elisha, who was arrested on February 6, after being in ‘illegal’ practise for 15 years.

    Nwajiakwu, The Nation learnt, has been practising since 2015.

    In a statement yesterday, the command’s spokesman, Chike Oti, a superintendent of Police (SP), quoted the suspect as saying that he fell in love with law practice when a friend commissioned him to act as a lawyer to serve a tenant a quit notice.

    Oti said: “He was handsomely rewarded after the deed and since then, there was no looking back. However, luck ran out on Nwajiakwu on May 25, while he was arguing a bail application for his client when intelligent lawyers in the court suspected he was a laid back. The lawyers said his quackery was too obvious to be ignored.

    “The police investigation into the case thus far, revealed that the suspect did not study Law in any of the Nigerian Universities nor anywhere else in the world. He was charged to Ojo Magistrate Court on May 30 with impersonation.”

    The police Commissioner (CP), Imohimi Edgal, Oti said, reiterated his warning to professional bodies to scrutinise those parading themselves as their members.

    “This is one incident too many and must be checked. The CP noted that the command had in the recent months arrested fake medical doctors and other spurious health workers including fake journalists,” he said.

  • Police arrest fake lawyer in court

    Police arrest fake lawyer in court

    The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it had arrested a fake lawyer who had been representing people at different magistrates’ courts in the state.

    Its spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) told newsmen that the suspect was arrested on Tuesday at Ojo Magistrate’s Court while representing a client.

    Oti said the fake lawyer, who identified himself as Barrister Chris Elisha, claimed he had been practicing as a lawyer illegally for the past 15 years without being spotted.

    “Nemesis caught up with him on February 6 at Ojo Magistrates’ Court where he appeared on behalf of an accused person but found it difficult to move a motion for the variation of the bail condition of his client.

    “His predicament did not go unnoticed by one Nnamdi Samuel Nwafor who challenged his qualification. Nwafor, a newly qualified lawyer that is yet to cut his teeth at the bar, Elisha should be able to move a motion without problems.

    “The hot argument between both men attracted the attention of other lawyers and the court duty policemen. The police officers took the suspect to the nearby Ojo Police Station where he confessed that he is a mere ‘charge and bail lawyer’.

    “He confessed he was more into corporate law practice and did little of litigation. He claimed he read law at Eastern Ukrainian University in the former Soviet Union but had no certificate to show for it,” Oti said.

    The spokesman said the suspect was undergoing interrogation at the X- Squad Section of the State Police Command Headquarters and would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.

     

  • Alleged fake lawyer knows fate Thursday

    An Ikorodu Magistrate Court sitting in Ijede has fixed Thurday for judgement in the case of an alleged fake lawyer, Mr Soyinka Olajide.

    Magistrate R.O. Davies fixed the date for judgement following a change of the plea of the defendant.

    Olajide is facing a four count charge offence bordering on falsely presenting himself as a lawyer, stealing and forging of court documents before Magistrate R.O. Davies.

    The matter is being prosecuted by a team of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu Branch, led by Prince Adetayo Ladega.

    At resumed proceedings on Thursday, the defendant told the court that he has decided to change his “not guilty plea” to “ a guilty” plea in view of the evidences against him and not to waste the time of the court.

    The prosecuting team of the NBA Ikorodu did not object to the decision of the defendant, agreeing that it would save the time of the court.

    Olajide was arrested February 14 while plying his trade with an unsuspecting client, Nwokeyi Lukman and was subsequently arraigned two days after.

    In the charge read before the court on arraignment, Police prosecutor, Inspector Etrimudor Ikechukwu, who stood in for Inspector Isaac Aminu, alleged that the defendant obtained the sum of N550,000.00 from Nwokeyi Lukman with intent to procure court dissolution of marriage document which he knew was false.

    He was alleged to have forged a document of marriage dissolution from high court of Lagos State in suit number LD/193HD/2015 and falsely presented himself as a lawyer with intent to defraud his victim.

    The offences committed were said to be contrary to and punishable under Sections 285, 312, 363(1), 378(1) and 401of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

  • Lawyer withdraws from alleged fake lawyer’s case

    The trial of an alleged fake lawyer, Mr Soyinka Olajide, suffered a setback at an Ijede Magistrate Court in Lagos as defence counsel, Mr Yomi Akinsanya, withdrew his appearance moments after trial started.

    Olajide is facing a four-count charge of falsely presenting himself as a lawyer, stealing and forging of court documents before Magistrate R.O. Davies.

    The matter is being prosecuted by a team of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu Branch, led by Prince Adetayo Ladega. Other members of the NBA prosecuting team are Mr Dapo Akodu, Mrs Olabimpe Bamidele, Mrs O.M Folami, Miss K. A. Thany, Mrs. S. E. Peters,  Miss Christy Elekwachi and Hajia Akanbi-Salisu.

    At resumed proceedings, Akinsanya announced appearance for the defendant.

    He told the court that the wife of the defendant gave him the brief last Tuesday and would need time to prepare a defence for the defendant.

    He proceeded, thereafter, to ask for an adjournment.

    The NBA Ikorodu Branch, led by Prince Adetayo Ladega, while not opposing the request, however, insisted on speedy trial.

    At this stage, the trial magistrate drew the attention of the defence counsel to the charges.

    In count four of the charges, the defendant was alleged to have forged a document of marriage dissolution from the high court of Lagos State in suit number LD/193HD/2015 and falsely presented himself as a lawyer with intent to defraud his victim.

    On reading the charge, the defence counsel declined interest in the matter and  withdrew from the case.

  • Court jails fake lawyer 18 months

    Court jails fake lawyer 18 months

    An Ijede Magistrate court, sitting in Ikorodu Division of the Lagos State Judiciary, has sentenced a  middle aged man, Olamide Oyekola Yinusa, to 18 months imprisonment for presenting himself as a lawyer.

    Magistrate (Mrs) A. Oshodi-Makanju jailed Yinusa six months for each of three offences out of seven count charge offences for which he was charged before the court.

    He would however spend six months in prison as the sentences would run concurrently from date of arraignment.

    Yinusa, a father of one, was arrested within Ikorodu court on October 22, last year while presenting himself to some unsuspected clients as a lawyer and was subsequently arraigned three days after, on October 25, last year before Magistrate Oshodi-Makanju.

    The Police had arraigned him on a seven count charge offence before the court bordering on  conspiracy, obtaining money on false pretence, for unauthorised use of wig and gown of  lawyers and for falsely presenting himself as a lawyer among others.

    The complainant, Nigerian Bar Association(NBA), Ikorodu Branch prosecuting team was led by its Vice Chairman who is also the chairman of Human Rights and Pro Bono Committee, Prince Adetayo Ladega during the trial that lasted five months. Other members of the team are Mr Dapo Akodu and Mrs A. Agusionu.

    Although Yinusa earlier entered a not guilty plea on arraignment but moderated his plea in the course of trial when evidences were presented and admitted by the court as exhibits against him.

    He denied counts three, four, five and six but admitted and pleaded guilty  offences listed in count one, two and seven.

    In his allocutos, the convict pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he is an orphan and the only bread winner of his family and promised to change and not to present himself as a lawyer again.

    Magistrate Oshodi-Makanju subsequently found him guilty on the three counts to which he admitted the offences and jailed him for six months on each of the offences.

    Police prosecution, Woman Sergeant Kemi Adeniran told the court that sometimes in September last year within Ikorodu Magisterial District, Yinusa, with two others now at large, allegedly conspired amongst themselves to commit felony by obtaining money under false pretence contrary to Section 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    Adeniran told the court that the convict allegedly collected  N90,000 from the family of one Kusoju that had a case bordering on malicious damage before a court under the pretext that the money would be used to perfect his bail but never did contrary to Section 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The Police Prosecutor  had further alleged that the convict allegedly collected N20,000 from one Samuel Ajetumobi for the purpose of paying the Police and Court Sheriff to unlock a room in dispute; N35,000 from one Elizabeth Okon whose son Micheal had a case at Panti Police staion on the pretext that he was going to use the money to process his bail and another N150,000 from one Elekwachi Christiana Ijeoma on the pretext of securing an apartment for her but never did Section 312 (a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The convict in addition was alleged to have obtained original copy of call to bar certificate of a lawyer and practicing with lawyers wig and gown under the pretext of keeping same for her.

    He was in addition alleged to have worn the lawyer’s wig and gown and presented himself within Ikorodu Magisterial district as a lawyer contrary to Section 78 (b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The convict pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge offence preferred against him by the Police.

    Although he admitted not being a lawyer, he claimed to have attended Nigerian Law School, Bwari in 2005 but dropped out following the death of his parents in a crisis that occurred in Jos in 2005.

    The convict contended that he did not steal the lawyer’s  wig and gown and that the N150,000 collected from Christiana was a gift and not meant for rent.

    He he said a part of the N90,000 collected from the family of  Kusoju was given to one Aniba to enable him stand surety for the accused person and for processing of the bail bond.

  • Police arrest fake lawyer in Ogun

    Police arrest fake lawyer in Ogun

    The police in Ogun State have arrested a 47-year-man, Ayodele Balogun, from Otta in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area for allegedly practising as a lawyer for 10 years without training.

    Ayodele, who has been parading himself as a trained lawyer and practising at the Ota arm of the state judiciary, was arrested by detectives, following complainants that he had duped someone of N140000.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said while the suspect was being interrogated, a notable lawyer in Ota alerted them to his “criminal antecedents and the need to interrogate him extensively”.

    He said: “As the police detectives carried out their interrogation, a revered lawyer in the area alerted the police to the suspect’s criminal antecedents and urged the police to widen the scope of their interrogation.

    “That was when the suspect, Ayodele Balogun, who has been practising at a popular chamber in Ota for a decade, told us he was a fake lawyer.

    “The suspect and others, who might be indicted in the course of police investigation, will be charged to court and his (their) details will be sent to the Nigerian Bar Association for necessary action.” Adejobi said.