2nd December, 2021
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A High Court in Port Harcourt has ordered the remand of one Stanley Adjogbe, who has been falsely presenting himself as a lawyer in Rivers State for over ten years in police custody.
Mr Adjogbe was remanded following the request by the chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA ;Port Harcourt branch, Prince Nyekwere, that the suspect may escape if he is allowed to go.
Justice Chinwendu Nwogu in his ruling directed that police officers from the office of the Commissioner of Police Rivers State to take custody of the suspected fake lawyer pending the outcome of their investigation.
Adjogbe was exposed when he failed to answer correctly questions bordering on his genuine identity as a legal practitioner during cross examination.
Also, he could not tell the court which law school and year he graduated as well as when he was called to the Bar.
He also failed to mention the University he attended as a law student.
The defense team in the criminal matter he was involved in also also tendered reports from the Supreme Court of Nigeria and the National leadership of NBA disowning Adjogbe as a genuine legal practitioner in the country.
In the meantime, Chairman of the NBA, Port Harcourt branch, Prince Nyekwere, in an interview with journalists explained why he asked that the fake lawyer should be be remanded in Police custody.
“His name is not among Lawyers enrolled in Supreme Court and the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA. So,we want to know if there was an error in the records of our Supreme Court and Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, so the they can be corrected”.
Also, lawyer Mr. Ibikiri Otorubio, who cross-examined the suspected fake lawyer in the case of a bounced cheque explained why they suspected that the lawyer is fake.
Mr. Otorubio said if the suspected fake lawyer is found guilty he will face a jail team of fourteen years.