Suspected fake lawyer arrested after 11 years in Ebonyi

Police in Ebonyi State have arrested a man accused of impersonating a lawyer and practising for more than 11 years, with investigators alleging that he used fake legal credentials and documents to present himself as a qualified legal practitioner.

The suspect, identified as Ugwumba Enyinnaya, was arrested following an investigation into a petition alleging that he obtained money under false pretences, according to the Ebonyi State Police Command.

Police spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, said in a statement on Tuesday that the petitioner, Chukwu David, alleged that Enyinnaya collected ₦650,000 from him in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street-naming request in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

David reportedly said the suspect presented himself as an experienced lawyer before collecting the money.

Investigations following the arrest allegedly revealed that Enyinnaya had been parading himself as a legal practitioner despite lacking the necessary qualifications. Police said the suspect admitted during interrogation that he was not a lawyer.

A search of his apartment led to the recovery of items investigators believe were used to support his claims of being a qualified legal practitioner.

The recovered items included a Nigerian Bar Association seal, a framed portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia, and purported Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws certificates bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology.

Police also recovered a barrister’s wig and robe, court judgments allegedly obtained from the court, and legal documents purportedly prepared by the suspect.

The documents included powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance, which are commonly used in property transactions and other legal arrangements.

The police said the suspect had been charged to court. The charges and the outcome of the proceedings were not detailed in the statement.

Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, commended the officers involved in the investigation and urged members of the public to verify the credentials of people offering legal services before engaging them.