Admin l Tuesday, June 27, 2017
ILORIN, Nigeria – A man, Mr. Peter Itopa Adogun has confessed before an Ilorin Chief Magistrate Court that he has been practicing law in the past 10 years without being certified to practice.
Peter Itopa Adogun based in Ilorin, practices with the name “Barrister I.T. David.
Adogun who is said to have won cases at the Supreme Court is standing trial for impersonation and theft of identity and certificate before the chief magistrate court. He had earlier pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
His trial however, took a dramatic turn on the 21st June 2017 when the lead prosecutor, Ayoola Idowu Akande, Chief State Counsel informed the Court that the matter was for hearing and that he has 5 witnesses in court who are ready to testify.
The Accused fake lawyer suddenly became frightened and sought the permission of the court to consult with his lawyer, Abdul Gegele Esq. his permission was granted. He later informed the Court that he has decided to change his plea from not guilty to the plea of guilt.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs I.O Olawoyin thereafter ordered that the First Information Report (FIR) be read again to the Accused person.
Upon reading the FIR, the Accused admitted that he is not a lawyer and he has been practicing as a lawyer within Ilorin and environs. He also admitted that he has being wearing robes of lawyers to appear at the Superior Courts with the name I. T. David Esq.
The prosecution later sought for an adjournment to substitute the FIR to enable speedy dispensation of the matter which was granted by the Court.
According to THENIGERIALAWYER, Itopa was arrested 7th January by police in Kwara State Command for certificate and identity theft in the state capital, following a petition written to the police on behalf of the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association by its legal adviser, Oyetunji Ojuokaiye.
According to the police the Accused person was arrested while appearing before an Area Court in Adewole, Ilorin. He was granted police bail but jumped, however, rearrested on the roof top of his house on 7th January, 2017.
“It was discovered that the accused had falsely taken the credentials of one Inufin David Taiwo, an Abuja-based lawyer, under the guise of helping him to secure job in an oil company, only to come to Ilorin to begin law practice as a legal practitioner with the photocopies of the certificate.
“Found in his possession at the point of arrest included complete legal practitioner’s robe, legal books, complimentary cards, copies of legal processes filed in several courts and other incriminating items relating to his fraudulent legal practice.
“The owner of the certificates, who claimed to know the suspect, said that Adogun was a client at the office where he observed the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps.”
Counsel to the Accused person Abdul Gegele withdrew his appearance for the Accused and the case was adjourned to 6th July 2017.
