Fake Nigerian Lawyer Remanded

Maximus Chukuma Amakari

, a 37-year-old Nigerian who was nabbed by the police for posing as a legal representative of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and handling cases at the law courts in and around, Accra has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court.

He was charged with deceiving a public officer, forgery of documents and posing as a lawyer. His plea was not taken.

The facts of the case were not read out, as the prosecutor DSP A. Agyeman; holding brief with Chief Inspector A.A. Anor said they were still conducting further investigations into the matter, so the trial judge, D.E. K. Daketsey, adjourned the case to November 28, 2009.

The accused person has been seen around the 28th February Courts, also known as Cocoa Affairs Courts, in Accra for sometime now and posing as counsel to some Nigerians who find themselves in trouble with the law.

Some prosecutors at the court who wanted to remain anonymous expressed disbelief when they saw the accused person in the dock because they had handled cases with him and even had his complimentary card. 

Amakari was nabbed when he went to the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters to bail another alleged imposter, Nwabuisi Obia, who was grabbed in connection with internet fraud and posing as the IGP of Ghana.

According to the head of the CID Vetting and Crime Analysis Unit, Superintendent Dennis Abade, Amakari, after seeking to get bail for his friend, produced a complimentary card which showed he was a legal representative of Nigerian High Commission to Ghana, but when they called the Commission, they were told he was not a worker there so he was apprehended.

During interrogation, the supposed lawyer told the police that he was once a worker there till the new ambassador relieved him of his services, adding that his arrest was a set-up.

The accused person's counsel was Oliver Atsu.
By Fidelia Achama