A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Aba South local government area of Abia State has ordered the remand of four commercial computer centre operators at the Nigeria Correctional Service facility in Aba. The defendants, Onuoha Ikechukwu, 40; Daniel Lawrence, 27; Odinaka Onyeforo, 37; and Ndukwe Chukwu, 50 were charged with conspiracy, impersonation, and forgery.
Presided over by Erinma Maduagwu, the court heard that the accused allegedly engaged in the unauthorised creation and distribution of Powers of Attorney, documents reserved for legal practitioners by forging the names of living and deceased lawyers.
The accused allegedly operated from Nos. 2F and 2J Pound Road Extension in Aba. According to the charge sheet, Ikechukwu was caught with over 70 forged Powers of Attorney, using stolen letterheads and legal stamps from deceased lawyers.
The Prosecutor, Uzoamaka Emmanuel noted that these actions breached Sections 516A(a), 484, and 465, punishable under Section 467(1)(b) of the Criminal Code of Abia State.
The defendants were accused of allegedly posing as licensed surveyors and legal practitioners, preparing fraudulent legal documents under the names Van Abakwuo, Mr Izuchukwu Onyeoma and Joshua Onyekachi Emele ESQ, thereby claiming false legal representation for unnamed clients.
While taking their pleas, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the magistrate to adjourn the case to October 25 for a bail hearing. Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Aba branch, Charles Oluchukwu, condemned the alleged activities, saying, “These perpetrators have truly dealt with us (lawyers). The Bar passed a resolution that such individuals caught should be prosecuted, and some of our colleagues who are aiding them in signing those documents should be reported to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee in Abuja for prosecution, with the possibility of having their licenses withdrawn.”
Oluchukwu also revealed that a five-member Anti-Fake Lawyers and Car Stickers Committee, led by Uchenna Ejiogu, has been formed to tackle the menace. “The public should desist from patronising these quacks because most of the Powers of Attorney they purportedly prepare are defective. We shall begin prosecuting those who patronise them,” he stated.
He further urged computer operators to refrain from engaging in illegal practices with unlicensed individuals, warning, “We will not spare anyone involved.”
