Fake Lawyer Nabbed

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Created on Tuesday, 10 July 2012 00:00

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Fake Lawyer Nabbed

ZEBEDEE OBIKYERE, a 38-year-old secretary who posed as a barrister of the Supreme Court, has been arrested and charged for impersonation and deceit of public officer.

Even though he was granted bail, he is yet to meet the bail terms.

He has therefore been caged at the Nima Police Station cells.

He will re-appear on Thursday, August 2, 2012.

Zebedee, on Friday, June 29, 2012, approached a prosecutor in a narcotics case involving one John Abiwu and falsely presented himself as Dela K. Quashigah.

He explained to the prosecutor that he had been delegated by the suspect, Abiwu’s lawyer to deputize for him to secure bail for the suspect.

Further Zebedee told the prosecutor he was the younger brother of Ellis Quashigah who he worked with in his chambers.

However, when Zebedee spotted his supposed senior brother (Ellis Quashigah), he took to his heels, raising suspicions about him.

Police therefore pursued and arrested him.

According to the director, CID Operations, ACP Frank Kwofie, suspect John Abiwu was arrested on June 24, 2011 at Dowhim while transporting some quantity of cannabis, popularly known as wee.

He has since been in police custody and had made several appearances at the court for trial.

On one of the occasions at the court, June 29, 2012, his lawyer, Ellis Quashiga, was absent when the case was called. John Abiwu was therefore remanded into prisons custody to reappear on another day.

While the prosecutor in the case was leaving the court premises, suspect Zebedee approached him and asked for the next adjourned date and promised to be in court to move a motion for suspect Abiwu’s bail.

To support his claim with evidential proof, he pulled out a complimentary card bearing the name Dela K. Quashigah, which indicated he was a barrister at law with the Supreme Court and stressed that he could be contacted on the address on the card.

He also alleged that lawyer Ellis Quashigah, his senior brother with whom he worked with at his chambers, assigned him to handle the case in his absence.

A few minutes later, Suzzy Abiwu (John Abiwu’s sister) surfaced to inform the investigator that she had spotted lawyer Ellis Quashigah in the court yard, adding he had not delegated anybody to stand in for him.

No sooner had she finished talking than Zebedee spotted lawyer Ellis Quashigah entering the court premises and took to his heels.

The police chased him to the court premises where he was arrested. A spot search in his car revealed a judicial wig, gown, a bible and a jacket with a crest of Ghana Bar Association tightly fixed on the upper left side.

Also found in the car were complimentary cards, diary, legal hunter’s chamber file, motion papers filed at the Tema High Court and three different law books which are being kept as exhibits.

Suspect Zebedee was charged with impersonation and deceit of public officer on Thursday, July 5, 2012. He was granted bail with two sureties, one to be justified.

BY Rocklyn Antonio

Source: Daily Guide/Ghana, 09 July 2012