Eko Hot Blog reports that an Anambra State High Court has sentenced Obinna Oraezue to 90 days imprisonment for impersonating a lawyer.
Oraezue was remanded at the Onitsha Correctional Centre with hard labour for contempt of court.
He was arrested at the High Court in Otuocha, located in Anambra East Local Government, a few weeks prior for appearing as a lawyer despite not being one.
A viral video showed the suspect being interrogated by the judge during court proceedings and subsequently handed over to security operatives.
While sentencing him, the court also referred the case of the M.T Olisaeke Law firm, which hired Oraezue as a “junior lawyer” without proper checks, to the Onitsha branch of the Nigeria Bar Association for investigation and disciplinary action.
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Dressed in full legal regalia, Oraezue appeared in court on June 13, 2024, for a litigant in a land matter but failed to demonstrate basic legal knowledge. This raised suspicions among the lawyers and the judge, leading to his interrogation and arrest.
During his arraignment, presiding judge Justice Okechukwu Onunkwo interrogated Oraezue, who confessed that he studied Political Science, not Law, and had a passion for legal practice. He explained he had been with the law firm for only a month and had never represented anyone in court before.
Oraezue pleaded for forgiveness, citing economic hardship as his motivation, and mentioned he had five children and an unemployed wife to support.
Justice Onunkwo sentenced Oraezue to three months with hard labour, effective from June 13, 2024, considering his pleas for leniency. The judge noted that the sentence was intended to deter others from similar acts.
Legal practitioner Uzochukwu Ozumba remarked that the court was lenient because Oraezue showed remorse and advised others against impersonating lawyers, warning that future courts may not be as lenient.
The state NBA expressed satisfaction with the sentencing, emphasizing that it would serve as a deterrent to others contemplating similar actions.
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