Fake lawyer arrested in Delta after posing in court. NBA Udu Branch caught him during proceedings; police recover forged stamps, documents and seals

Fake lawyer arrested Delta drama unfolded on Thursday when a suspected impostor, U. T. Oghenetejiri, was apprehended at the Orhuwhorun Magistrates’ Court in Delta State.

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The arrest followed suspicion raised by practising lawyers after Oghenetejiri allegedly attempted to represent a client in a criminal case but failed to answer basic questions from the Magistrate.

According to Edmund Odohisi, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Udu Branch, the suspect fled the courtroom but was chased into Orhuwhorun market by court staff and lawyers before being handed over to the police.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Oghenetejiri had been frequenting courts in the area for months, preparing legal documents, using forged seals, and even running an office on Jakpa Road, Effurun. Several documents, including deeds of transfer, were recovered from him.

Checks further confirmed that the suspect never attended the Nigerian Law School and is not enrolled as a legal practitioner at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, making his practice entirely fraudulent.

The incident has reignited calls for tighter verification systems within Nigeria’s judiciary to protect unsuspecting members of the public.

Meanwhile, Oghenetejiri has been transferred to Ovwian Police Station for further investigation and possible arraignment.

Lawyers in Delta have commended the swift action of the NBA, which urged the public to report suspicious practitioners.

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Just days earlier, police arrested another suspected fake lawyer, Emmanuel Odeh, who allegedly practised for nearly a decade in Lagos and Abuja, duping clients under the guise of legal representation and consultancy.