An Ilorin Magistrate’s court has remanded one Peter Itopa Adogun who was arraigned by the Kwara state police command for alleged certificate and identity theft.
Itopa Adogu was said to have been practising as a lawyer in Ilorin and its environs since 2007 with the name “Barrister I. T. David” and appeared in several matters at all levels of Nigerian courts, up to the Supreme Court, winning several cases in the process.
The suspect was arrested 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 prosecutor, Nasir Yusuf: “the suspect jumped police administrative bail after being arrested while appearing before an Area Court in Ilorin. He was however, rearrested on the roof top of his house on January 7.”
The police First Information Report (FIR) reads: “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 and start practising as a lawyer with the photocopies.
“Investigation, however, showed he did not undertake any law programme in any institution.”
The report said: “found in his possession at the point of arrest included complete legal practitioner’s robe, legal books, complementary 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.”
He said that he gave him copies of his credentials to help him to secure employment.
Magistrate I.O Olawoyin, in her ruling, refused to grant the accused bail and therefore ordered that he be remanded in Mandala Medium Prison.
The case was adjourned to February 1. [myad]
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