Fake lawyer who practiced and won cases at Supreme Court

A man who never had legal training, Peter Adogun, has practiced law in Ilorin for 10 years and won cases in the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The police in Kwara State arraigned Mr. Adogun before an Ilorin magistrate’s court for certificate and identity theft in the state capital.

According to the First Information Report, Mr. Adogun has been practising as in Ilorin and its environs since 2007 with the name “Barrister I. T. David.”

He was arrested, following a petition written to the police on behalf of the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association by its legal adviser, Oyetunji Ojuokaiye.

Apart from appearing in local courts, investigation revealed that he had also appeared in a number of cases in the Supreme Court.

Police prosecutor, Nasir Yusuf, said “The suspect jumped police administrative bail after being arrested while appearing before an Area Court in Ilorin. He was, however, rearrested on the roof top of his house on January 7.

“It was discovered that the accused had falsely taken the credentials of one Inufin David Taiwo, an Abuja-based lawyer, under the guise of helping him to secure job in an oil company, only to come to Ilorin and start practising as a lawyer with the photocopies.

“It was revealed that the suspect has practised as a legal practitioner and appeared in several matters at all levels of Nigerian courts, up to the Supreme Court, winning several cases in the process.

“Found in his possession at the point of arrest included complete legal practitioner’s robe, legal books, complimentary cards, copies of legal processes filed in several courts and other incriminating items relating to his fraudulent legal practice.

“The owner of the certificates, who claimed to know the suspect, said that Adogun was a client at the office where he observed the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps.”

In her ruling, Magistrate I.O Olawoyin, remanded the accused in Mandala Medium Prison and adjourned the case till February 1.