Fake Lawyer Arrested During Court Proceedings in Badagry

 By Dansu Peter  A suspected fake lawyer, identified as Godwin Eguabor, 47, was apprehended on Wednesday while appearing in Badagry Magistra...

 By Dansu Peter 

A suspected fake lawyer, identified as Godwin Eguabor, 47, was apprehended on Wednesday while appearing in Badagry Magistrates’ Court 2 under the pretense of representing a client. The arrest was facilitated by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Badagry Branch, which had been tracking reports of impersonation within its ranks.

Atule Elchors, Vice-Chairman of the NBA Badagry Branch, disclosed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). According to Elchors, suspicions about Eguabor had lingered for some time. 

“For a long time, there were rumors of a fake lawyer among us, so we remained vigilant. On Wednesday, someone tipped me off that the individual in court was the alleged impersonator,” Elchors explained. 

Elchors allowed Eguabor to proceed with his appearance before raising the alarm. When Eguabor introduced himself as “Barrister Godwin Eguabor,” Elchors interrupted the proceedings, informing the court that the individual was not a licensed legal practitioner. 

“I asked him for his Supreme Court enrollment number, a requirement for all practicing lawyers. He could not provide it and instead resorted to evasive stories,” Elchors said. 

Further investigation revealed discrepancies in Eguabor’s identity, as the name he used in court differed from the one he gave to the police upon his arrest. 

The suspect was subsequently handed over to the Badagry Police Station and later arraigned for impersonation under Section 380 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2015. 

During the arraignment, the prosecutor, ASP Edet Ekpo, informed the court that the accused committed the offence on January 15 at approximately 11:30 a.m. 

Magistrate L.A. Layeni granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a managing director of a company and provide a one-year bank statement. Additionally, a cash deposit of N25,000 is to be made to the Ikeja High Court Registrar's account. 

The case was adjourned to February 19 for further hearing. 

This incident underscores the NBA’s commitment to safeguarding the legal profession's integrity and ensuring that only qualified individuals practice law in Nigeria.