Again, Jones Kayode, a 66-year old unrepentant
fake lawyer is now in police net in Lagos, south-west Nigeria.
Kayode,
a school certificate holder was arrested Tuesday at the Cathedral Church of
Christ, Marina, Lagos during the legal year celebration, packaged by the Nigeria
Bar Association, fully dressed in gown and wig as a lawyer.
But,
the fake lawyer stunned journalists and police officers at the Lagos police
command headquarters in Ikeja when he declared point-blank that he has not
committed any offence to warrant his arrest.
His words: “I don’t feel
bad. I have not done anything wrong. Section 22, Sub-section 2 of the Lagos
State Legal Practitioners Act 2004 reads that no proceeding shall commence
after three years against someone”.
I have been doing this since 2013, and as
a result of that, I have not committed any offence. Some court officials
assisted me in procuring the gown, wig and some other necessary documents. I have
appeared in court four times.”
Fatai Owoseni, Lagos police commissioner
told journalists before the parade that Kayode wore lawyer’s gown and wig and
sat in the auditorium of the church, participating in the Legal Year
celebration like a genuine lawyer. He was sighted by a lawyer who knew him as
fake. The man, who saw Kayode, blew the whistle on him.
A source however said that “this man has
once been arrested for impersonation. He was taken to the police station. The
lawyer, who got him arrested, was the same lawyer that got him arrested the
first time. He was cautioned and allowed to go the first time by the police
because of his age”.
Now, I don’t think he would be allowed to
go. He is going to be charged for impersonation.” But Kayode said he started
going to court to represent himself after he was sacked by his former employer
for stealing a wall clock.
He said: “I been to court for about four
times, but during this period, I never represented anybody. I only went there
to defend myself as a lawyer. I read in the law book that someone can represent
himself. I don’t have enough qualification. The only certificate I have is ‘A
level’ and some professional certificates.
“I was at the Legal Year celebration of
the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), at the Cathedral Church, Marina, when I was
arrested by the police. I was sitting in the church when the former chairman of
the NBA saw me and called policemen.
“The first time I was arrested, the
Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station said they released me because I
was old enough to be their father. They, however, warned me sternly. After the
policemen freed me, the former NBA chairman also warned me. He said that I
should not go to Ikeja High Court again.
He said that whatever happened to me, I
should carry my cross. I’m not impersonating anybody. The law says I can
represent myself in the court and that is exactly what I was doing. It was on
that ground that I started going to court to represent myself and some clients
who invited me.”
Source: New Telegraph
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