KINGSLEY EBERE
A 45-year old ex-Local Government Chairman, Solomon Nwafor, has been arrested and charged for allegedly impersonating as a lawyer having called himself to the Nigeria Bar for 20 months before he was caught in Ebonyi State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the operatives from the Ebonyi State Police Command arrested Nwafor after parading himself as a practising lawyer for about 20 months with the intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
However, he ran out of luck as he was arrested and detained for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable for impersonation.
He was subsequently charged before an Abakaliki Magistrate Court over the alleged offence.
The prosecutor, Chinagorom Ezeh, told the Court that the defendant committed the offence between January 2022 and August 23, 2023 by falsely presenting himself as a practising lawyer in Abakaliki with the intent to defraud unsuspecting persons and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 33 Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009.
The one count-charge read: “That you Solomon Nwafor, between January 2022 and 23rd August 2023, at Abakaliki magisterial district, did with intent to defraud unsuspecting persons, falsely represented yourself to be a practising lawyer in Abakaliki and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 33 Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009″.
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The defence counsel, C. A. Amiara, asked the Court to grant him bail and noted that the offence was bailable and that the defendant, who is a former Chairman of a Local Government Area in the state, would be available to attend his trial.
The prosecutor did not oppose the bail application while a lawyer, E. N. Nwambam, who held brief for the Nigerian Bar Association, Ebonyi State, did not oppose the bail application as well.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Lynda Ogodo, granted Nwafor bail on self recognition and adjourned the matter till 30th October, 2023 for hearing.