The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a fake lawyer and eight other suspects in its bid to rid the state of criminal activities.
Briefing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Gusau on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu, said the fake lawyer was arrested on January 18 following a complaint received from the Nigerian Bar Association in the state.
He identified the suspect as 46-year-old Chukwuka Jude, saying he was caught inside the Higher Sharia Court T/Wada Gusau acting falsely as a lawyer to a client.
According to the police spokesman, detectives promptly arrested the suspect and brought him to the SCID Gusau for discreet investigation.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect has been putting appearances in different Courts at K/Namoda, B/Magaji, Shinkafi, and Gusau LGAs where he was finally arrested for standing as a counsel to unsuspecting litigants for fees,” the police spokesman said.
“Prior to his arrest, the suspect deceived one of his victims who resides in Kuraje village under Damba District of Gusau LGA, by representing the victim at Higher Sharia Court III Gusau as a counsel, where he charged the sum of N100,000 for the service fees, out of which he collected N23,000 as part payment.
“To further support the allegation, the suspect in a bid to escape arrest and prosecution offered the sum of N300,000 as a bribe to our court duty Police officer who instantly rejected the offer.”
