Police arrest fake lawyer who practised for 15 years

Ex-convict, others arrested for armed robbery in Lagos

Nemesis yesterday caught up with Chris Elisha, a fake lawyer who has freely practised for 15 years. His cover was blown at the Ojo Magistrate court where he appeared on behalf of an accused person, but found it difficult to move a motion for the variation of the bail condition of his client.
 
This was noticed by a barrister, Nnamdi Samuel Nwafor, who challenged his qualification. According to Nwafor, a newly qualified lawyer that is yet to cut his teeth at the bar would have been able to move a motion without qualms. The hot argument between both men attracted the attention of other lawyers and the court duty policemen.

The officers took the suspect to the nearby Ojo Police Station where he confessed that he is a mere “charge and bail lawyer” who had been practising for the past 15 years. He claimed he was more into corporate law practice and does little of litigation. He stated further that he read law at Eastern Ukrainian University, in the former Soviet Union but had no certificate to show for it.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone II, Onikan, Lagos, have arrested an ex-convict, Adediran Lateef and two others for alleged robbery within Lagos-Ogun border communities.

Lateef was apprehended at about 1:00p.m. on January 28, around Ijoko-Otta, while his gang was allegedly operating in the area. Also arrested were the alleged receivers of goods stolen by the robbers, Emmanuel Abiola and Kayode Ogundipe.

It was gathered that the police recovered two locally-made pistols, a single-barrel gun, 24 live cartridges and assorted charms from the suspects.
According to the police, Lateef later took detectives to the gang’s hideout where Adenusi Wasiu (Babanla) and Ayo Nureni (Gomes) were arrested.

The Zonal spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the suspects specialised in robbing residents of Lagos and Ogun States. She said: “The suspects specialised in terrorising Abeokuta, Sango and Ijoko-Otta areas. The ZIS received a distress call that robbers were in action around Ijoko-Otta.

“The operatives moved swiftly into action and Lateef was arrested. In the course of investigation, we discovered that he was an ex-convict. He led detectives to the gang’s hideout and others were arrested. The suspects confessed during investigation that they have been in the business for years.”