Police uncover fake lawyer after 11 years of legal practice

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man accused of posing as a lawyer and practising for more than 11 years despite allegedly having no legal qualification.

The suspect, Ugwumba Enyinnaya, was arrested following a petition alleging that he obtained N650,000 from one Chukwu David under false pretences to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming in Ohaozara Local Government Area in March 2026.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying investigations revealed that the suspect had been parading himself as a legal practitioner.

According to the police, Enyinnaya admitted during interrogation that he was not a lawyer.

A search of his apartment reportedly led to the recovery of a Nigerian Bar Association seal, a portrait of the suspect in barrister’s regalia, and purported Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws certificates bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology.

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Other items recovered included a barrister’s robe and wig, court judgments allegedly procured by the suspect, and legal documents purportedly prepared by him, including powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance.

The police said the suspect had been charged to court.

The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the operatives for uncovering the alleged impersonation and urged residents to verify the credentials of individuals offering legal services.

She also encouraged members of the public to report suspicious activities to the police.