Fake lawyer Arrested in Lagos

30 year old Daniel Ikhidenor Ikhuoria (pictured ) from Ekpoma Edo State, who has been practicing law illegally since 2011 has been apprehended by the police attached to the Igbosere High Court Lagos Island, PM News reports. The suspected fake lawyer was arrested when he came in as a lawyer for a court hearing. His moves were suspected by an orderly attached to the Appeal Court, DCR Office, who got him arrested.

Upon his arrest, he was interrogated and is alleged to have confessed to the fact that he had never trained as a lawyer but didn't know it was an offense to pose as a lawyer and represent clients in court without training or authority.

According to PM News, following his arrest, the state branch chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Alex Morka, was contacted about the development and he instructed the police orderly to take the suspect to the nearest police station.

In his alleged confessional statement to the police, the suspect allegedly said: “I have been practicing as a lawyer since 2011 and I have represented clients at the magistrate, high court and Federal high courts without any problem. But I have never attended law school or any institution to read law in my life but I was called to the bar through a source at a high court in 2011. I bought the gown and wig in the open market and wore it and started practicing as a lawyer. I did not know that it is an offence to practice as a lawyer without authority. I promise to change if I am set free.”

An act punishable under section 378(1), 78(b) and 327 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011, the police charged him before a Tinubu Magistrate court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him and was placed on a 500,000 bail which he could not meet up with.

He is currently been remanded at the Ikoyi Prison until the case would be heard again on the 3rd of March 2014.