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| Nigerian fake lawyer practised for 15 years in Lagos | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Nigerian man pretending to be a solicitor for 15 years has been charged for impersonation, the police say. | |
| The 49-year-old man was arrested earlier this week as he was making a bail application for his client in a Lagos state court. | The 49-year-old man was arrested earlier this week as he was making a bail application for his client in a Lagos state court. |
| Police spokesman Chike Oti told the BBC the man could not articulate his legal argument and was challenged by another lawyer present in court. | Police spokesman Chike Oti told the BBC the man could not articulate his legal argument and was challenged by another lawyer present in court. |
| The suspect later admitted to police he was not qualified, Mr Oti said. | |
| Why did officials become suspicious? | Why did officials become suspicious? |
| Mr Oti said the man had been practicing for the past 15 years undetected. | Mr Oti said the man had been practicing for the past 15 years undetected. |
| Working with lawyers, the man had some "elementary knowledge of how they [lawyers] go about their business - but he's not a professional", the police spokesman told the BBC's Newsday programme. | Working with lawyers, the man had some "elementary knowledge of how they [lawyers] go about their business - but he's not a professional", the police spokesman told the BBC's Newsday programme. |
| Suspicions about his qualifications arose during court proceedings in a criminal case on Tuesday. | Suspicions about his qualifications arose during court proceedings in a criminal case on Tuesday. |
| His client "was granted bail on the stringent condition, and he wanted a variation of the condition. And he [the suspect] did not know how to go about it", Mr Oti said. | His client "was granted bail on the stringent condition, and he wanted a variation of the condition. And he [the suspect] did not know how to go about it", Mr Oti said. |
| He added that a lawyer present in the courtroom immediately challenged the suspect, saying that a bar-registered lawyer should be able to deal with a bail issue. | He added that a lawyer present in the courtroom immediately challenged the suspect, saying that a bar-registered lawyer should be able to deal with a bail issue. |
| Local media reports say the man told police that he had studied law at a Ukrainian university - but had yet to be called to the bar in Nigeria. | |
| Despite this, he has reportedly won several court cases. | Despite this, he has reportedly won several court cases. |