Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Police in Ogun State have arrested a 47 year old man, Tajudeen Olufemi Idris, for allegedly parading himself as a legal practitioner.
The suspect, according to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Abimbola Oyeyemi, was arrested on Friday, October 2, at the 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.
“His conduct and presentation before the Chief Magistrate raised suspicion about his qualification as a lawyer and this prompted the Chief Magistrate to ask him of the year he was called to the bar, which he claimed to be 2009. But further enquiry revealed that his name is nowhere to be found amongst those called to bar in 2009, hence, the police were notified.
“Consequently, the DPO of Ifo Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle detailed his operatives to the scene where the suspect was apprehended and he is currently undergoing investigation”. Oyeyemi stated.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edward Ajogun, has expressed serious concern about increase in the number of people impersonating to be lawyers thereby swindling innocent people of their hard earned money.
The CP, who is also a lawyer, noted that no fewer than five cases of fake lawyers had been reported to his office since his assumption of office in less than months ago.
Ajogun, therefore, called on the State branch of Nigeria Bar Association to put necessary machinery in motion to checkmate the activities of fake lawyers.