Fake lawyer arrested while defending a case in court

A suspected fake lawyer, Tajudeen Idris(47)  has been arrested while appearing as a defence counsel in a civil trial at a Chief Magistrate Court, Ifo town in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Penpushing reports that, the self acclaimed legal practitioner ran into trouble water as his conduct and presentation before the Chief Magistrate rose suspicious about his qualification as a lawyer and this prompted the Chief magistrate to ask him of the year he was called to the bar.

The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said the alleged impostor claimed to be a law graduate who was called to bar in 2009, but further enquiry revealed that his name is nowhere to be found amongst those called to bar in 2009, hence, police were notified.

The suspect was arrested at Magistrate Court 6 Ifo while appearing before Chief magistrate I.A Arogundade in a civil trial between one Ifeanyi Chuckwu and Ayo Itori where he claimed to be a legal counsel from Tajudeen O. Idris & Co Chamber representing one of the parties.

Penpushing further reports that, consequently, the Divisional Police Officer Ifo Division, Csp Adeniyi Adekunle detailed his operatives to the scène where the suspect was apprehended and he is currently undergoing investigation.

The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun has expressed concern about increase in the number of people impersonating to be lawyer thereby swindling people of their hard earned money.

Penpushing also reports that, Oyeyemi said the commissioner recalled that not less than five cases of fake lawyers have been reported since his assumption of office in less than 2 months ago.

‘On the 12th of August 2020, a 56yr old Sylvester Ogbagu was arrested at Shagamu while parading himself as lawyer, another fake lawyer Adedeji Ebenezer was apprehended in the Court premises at Itori on the 5th of August 2020 while appearing for a client as a lawyer, he was tried and subsequently sentenced to 3years in prison’, the commissioner noted.

‘Another fake lawyer Elijah Ayodeji Ojo was also arrested in Ajuwon police station on the 28th of June when he came to solicit for a so called client who was having a criminal matter with the police. Likewise one Lawrence Oyedunu who was arrested in Sango Ota while presenting himself as a counsel to a suspect.

The statement said that the police boss therefore called on the State branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to put necessary machinery in motion to checkmate the activities of these fraudulent people.

Penpushing reports that, the commissioner appealed to those who wish to be a lawyer to take a cue from the determined effort of a traditional ruler in the State “ Towulade of Akinale who at 75 years of age still endeavors to go to law school because of his interest in legal profession rather than impersonating.