Crime & Punishment of Friday, 15 January 2016

Source: GNA

More troubles for fake Lawyer

Anthony Anyomi Anthony Anyomi

Anthony Anyomi an alleged fake lawyer who was granted bail by a court had found himself in more troubles.

This time, Anyomi was nearly slapped by Mr Roger Aidoo whiles in handcuffs as he was escorted away from the court.

According to Mr Aidoo, Anyomi had collected GH¢6,500 from him and his wife under the pretext of filing an appeal for his incarcerated son.

Mr Aidoo said Anyomi, after collecting the monies, failed to do so. When Anyomi was quizzed by Mr Aidoo’s counsel, Anyomi disclosed that he was not a lawyer but he was going to refund Mr Aidoo’s money to him.

Based on that Mr Aidoo said Anyomi refunded GH¢2,000, but since then he had not been able to locate Anyomi.

Mr Aidoo said last week he saw Anyomi’s story and picture in the dailies and therefore followed up to the court today at 0600 hours.

When Mr Aidoo questioned him, Anyomi warned him to be careful. This infuriated Mr Aidoo who threatened to slap him.

When asked by journalists how he got to know Anyomi, Mr Aidoo said Anyomi has been going to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison to preach the word of God.

“Based on that Anyomi got in touch with my wife and promised to assist her to appeal against my son’s conviction. He went ahead to collect monies from family members to file the appeal but he failed to pursue the case.

"At that time, I was on admission at the Korle Bu- Teaching Hospital. When I was discharged, Anyomi told me he was a lawyer so we believed him.”

Mr Anyomi collected various sums of money from my wife and other family members.

“When I called Anyomi in the presence of my counsel he admitted that he was not a lawyer and that he would refund the monies he had collected. He went ahead to refund GH¢2, 000,” said Mr Aidoo.

Mr Aidoo claimed during his interaction with Anyomi, that “he snatched my incarcerated son’s girl friend from him and he did not even marry the lady.”

Some lawyers, who tried to calm down Mr Aidoo, asked him to lodge a complaint with the Police.

Anyomi has since been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court for parading as a lawyer on the court premises.

Anyomi, 34, who claims to be a student, was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with two sureties.

According to the court presided over by Ms Patricia Quansah, one of the sureties should be public servant earning not less than GH¢1,500.

The sureties are also to deposit their passport pictures and valid Identity cards to the court’s registry.

Anyomi was also to report every Wednesday to the Regional Criminal Investigations Department until otherwise directed by the court.

Anthony Anyomi, charged with impersonation, pleaded not guilty.

He is expected to reappear on February 2 for trial to commence.

Prosecution’s case was that the Police received information that accused was parading as a lawyer at the court premises.

The prosecutor said the Police therefore mounted surveillance and on January 6, when he appeared at Circuit Court Three, he was nabbed.

According to the prosecutor, a number of Court Warrant Officers, Registrars had stated that Anyomi had been representing people in cases before the court.

“When Anyomi was questioned by the Police, he admitted that he was not a lawyer,” the prosecutor said.