A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Aba, Abia state, has ordered the remand of four operators from a commercial computer center in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Aba.
The defendants, Onuoha Ikechukwu (40), Daniel Lawrence (27), Odinaka Onyeforo (37), and Ndukwe Chukwu (50), faced a three-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation, and forgery of a Power of Attorney, a task reserved exclusively for qualified legal practitioners.
Presiding over the case, His Worship Erinma Maduagwu noted that the suspects were operating illicitly at Nos, 2F and 2J Pound Road Extension, Aba, for several years.
Prosecutors revealed that Ikechukwu was apprehended with over 70 forged Power of Attorney documents bearing the names of both living and deceased attorneys.
The accused allegedly gained patronage from lawyers seeking assistance with legal document preparation.
They are accused of stealing lawyer’s letterheads and in collusion with other unidentified accomplices, created fraudulent documents for unsuspecting clients using the stamps and seals of deceased lawyers.
Prosecutor Uzoamaka Emmanuel stated that their actions contravened sections 516A(a), 484, and 465, which are punishable under section 467(1)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.
The charges also included falsely presenting themselves as licensed surveyors and legal practitioners by preparing Deeds of Power of Attorney with stolen letterheads and names of real lawyers, including Van Abakwuo and Mr. Izuchukwu Onyeoma.
The charge sheet detailed the forging of numerous Power of Attorney documents, listing fraudulent details and legal representations.
The document specified various forged Deeds of Power of Attorney purportedly executed by unidentified individuals and claimed that the defendants had sold legal documents to the public, misrepresenting them as properly prepared by a licensed solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
This act constitutes an offense contrary to section 465, also punishable under section 467(1)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.
The defendants, represented by their legal counsel, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial magistrate has scheduled a hearing for the bail application on Friday, October 25, while ordering their remand in the Aba Correctional Service facility.
Barr. Charles Oluchukwu, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Aba branch, attended the proceedings and remarked, “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 Practitioner’s Disciplinary Committee in Abuja for prosecution, with the possibility of having their licenses withdrawn.”
Oluchukwu further stated, “The mandate has been given to me to clamp down on them through a five-member committee called the Anti-Fake Lawyers and Car Stickers Committee, headed by Uchenna Ejiogu.
The public should desist from patronizing these quacks because most of the Powers of Attorney they purportedly prepare are defective.
We shall begin prosecuting those who patronize them.”
He advised the computer operators to refrain from collaborating with fraudsters in preparing legal documents, emphasizing that “we will not spare anyone involved.”
To combat these illegal activities, he announced the establishment of a committee to monitor and address the issue of unauthorized document preparation by touts.
