Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 14 July 2012

Source: Daily Guide

Fake Lawyer Nabbed In Tema

A 33-year-old man who allegedly posed as a lawyer and represented his client has been arrested and remanded by the police for further investigations regarding fraudulent misrepresentation of profession.

The suspected fake lawyer was said to have come to the registrar at the Tema Magistrate Court (White House) with his client to file a writ but the registrar, after questioning him, based on what he had brought and his demeanour, realised that he was not what he claimed to be and therefore caused his arrest.

The suspect, who gave his name as Inkoom Myturn Joseph, according to the registrar, said that he was a barrister and not a lawyer.

When the magistrate, Malcolm Bedzrah, questioned him, he said that he was a business law teacher at the Action Progressive Institute and noted that he had been in the practice since 2007 but could not state whether he was a lawyer or not.

According to Inspector George M. Amegbletor, on Friday morning, the suspect contacted the registrar and said that he wanted a writ to be prepared for him.

Inspector Amegbletor said that the writ would have been prepared for him, but his behaviour and the manner in which he had composed the writ made the registrar suspicious and he therefore alerted the court officials.

When the suspect was further interrogated, it came out that he was not a lawyer as he had claimed.

The judge, after looking through the writ which the suspect came to court to file, said, “Oh that is why you were caught, lawyers don’t do things this way.” He therefore remanded him for the police to further investigate the matter and charge him formally.

In an interview with the supposed client, she said that she met him just this week and that somebody introduced him to her and had no idea that the suspect was a fake person parading as a lawyer.