Court remands four cybercafé operators for forgery

A Chief Magistrates’ Court 1, sitting in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State, has remanded four commercial computer centre operators in the Nigeria Correctional Service facility in Aba.

The accused, Onuoha Ikechukwu (40), Daniel Lawrence (27), Odinaka Onyeforo (37), and Ndukwe Chukwu (50), were arraigned before the court, presided over by His Worship Erinma Maduagwu, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation, and forgery of a Power of Attorney, an act reserved for qualified legal practitioners.

According to the charge sheet, the suspects operated at Nos. 2F and 2J Pound Road Extension, Aba, near the court, and had been involved in illicit activities for years. The first defendant, Onuoha Ikechukwu, was caught with over 70 forged Powers of Attorney, bearing the names of both living and deceased lawyers.

The suspects, who were often patronised by lawyers for legal document preparation, allegedly stole lawyers’ letterheads and, in connivance with other syndicates now at large, prepared illegal documents for unsuspecting clients, using stamps and seals of deceased lawyers.

Prosecutor Uzoamaka Emmanuel stated that their actions violated sections 516A(a), 484, and 465, punishable under section 467(1)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.

Counts two and three accused the defendants of falsely presenting themselves as licensed surveyors and legal practitioners by preparing Deeds of Power of Attorney using stolen letterheads and the names of lawyers, including one Van Abakwuo and Mr. Izuchukwu Onyeoma.

The charge sheet further stated that the suspects forged numerous Power of Attorney documents using fraudulent details and legal representation.

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“Other Deeds of Power of Attorney purportedly executed by you for yet-to-be-identified persons as listed on the face of the said Deeds; so many cover pages of Power of Attorney signed by Joshua Onyekachi Emele ESQ without the name of any Donor and Donee.

“One Power of Attorney between Mr. Awa Agwu, Robert Nworo, and Onyegu Ifeanyi and other legal documents respectively, a representation you know to be false, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.

“That you, Onuoha Ikechukwu ‘M’, Daniel Lawrence ‘M’, Odinakachi Onyeforo ‘M’, Ndukwe Chukwu ‘M’, and others now at large on or before the 9th day of October 2024, at Nos: 2F, 2J Pound Road Extension, Aba, in the Aba South Magisterial District, did forge and sell legal documents to members of the public, purporting same to have been properly prepared by a solicitor/Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 465, punishable under section 467(1)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia State of Nigeria 2005.”

The defendants, represented by their lawyers, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial magistrate adjourned the matter to Friday, October 25, for consideration of their bail application and ordered their remand in the Aba Nigeria Correctional Service facility.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Aba branch, Barr. Charles Oluchukwu, who led other lawyers to the court, commented on the case, “These perpetrators have truly dealt with us (lawyers). The Bar passed a resolution that such individuals caught should be prosecuted, and some of our colleagues who are aiding them in signing those documents should be reported to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee in Abuja for prosecution, with the possibility of having their licences withdrawn.”

Oluchukwu added, “The mandate has been given to me to clamp down on them through a 5-man committee called the Anti-Fake Lawyers and Car Stickers Committee, headed by Uchenna Ejiogu.

“The public should desist from patronising these quacks because most of the Powers of Attorney they purportedly prepare are defective. We shall begin prosecuting those who patronise them.

“Our advice to these computer operators is that they should desist from conniving with quacks to prepare legal documents. We will not spare anyone involved.

“We have put measures in place by setting up a committee that will monitor these illegal activities by touts.”