Officers of Ogun State Police Command have arrested one Tajudeen Olufemi Idris for falsely parading himself as a lawyer and appearing as a defence counsel in court.
The 47-year-old man was arrested on Friday, 2nd of October 2020 at Magistrate Court 6 in Ifo part of the State while appearing before Chief magistrate I.A Arogundade in a civil case between one Ifeanyi Chuckwu and Ayo Itori.
He claimed to be a legal counsel from Tajudeen O. Idris & Co Chamber and was representing one of the parties.
But it was gathered that because of his conduct and presentation, the Chief magistrate became suspicious and this prompted him to ask the supposed lawyer the year he was called to the Bar.
Though Idris claimed he was called to the Bar in 2009, further enquiry revealed that his name was not in the register of those called to the Bar in that year, hence, police were notified.
Consequently, the DPO Ifo division, Csp Adeniyi Adekunle detailed his operatives to the court and the suspect was apprehended and he is currently undergoing investigation.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Ajogun has expressed concern about increase in the number of people impersonating legal practitioners to swindle people of their hard earned money.
The CP recalled that not less than five cases of fake lawyers have been reported since his assumption of office less than two months ago.
The Commissioner recalled that on 12 of August 2020, 56- year- old Sylvester Ogbagu was arrested at Shagamu while parading himself as lawyer while 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 three years in prison.
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 was arrested in Sango Ota while presenting himself as a counsel to a suspect.
The CP therefore called on the State branch of NBA to put necessary machinery in motion to checkmate the activities of the impersonators.
He also appealed to those who wish to be a lawyer to take a cue from the determined effort of a traditional ruler in the State, the Towulade of Akinale who at 75 years of age went to law school because of his interest in legal profession.
