Police Arrest Fake Lawyer, Arraign Him In Court

By Felix Kuyinu

One Godwin Eguabor, who paraded himself as a lawyer has been apprehended by the police.

Eguabor was arraigned at the Badagry Magistrates’ Court in Lagos after he was accused of disguising as a lawyer and standing as a defence counsel for a litigant in court.

The Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Atule Elchors, said that there was a rumour of a fake lawyer engaging in legal services in Badagry.

Elchors, during the accused’s trial in court on Wednesday said: ‘This person standing as defence counsel is not a legal practitioner. We have been looking out for him.”

Following the proceedings, he added: “We asked for his supreme court number, which is the enrollment number of every lawyer, but he could not answer, he was just telling us stories.

“The worst thing is that the name he is using in court is different from the name he gave the police when they came to arrest him.”

The defendant, whose trial charges bordered on illegal parade of oneself as a lawyer, was said to have contravened section 380 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The court admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N1,000,000 with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be company managing directors who must present statement of account of the companies for one year.

Furthermore, the sureties must deposit the sum of N25,000 to the account of Ikeja high court registrar.

The court adjourned the case till February 19.