Court hears case against lawyer over refusal to hand over land documents

LEGAL practice in Nigeria is taking a different dimension as what was hitherto unknown to the legal profession are now emerging as new trends. This is the matter facing a Lagos Chief Magistrate's Court sitting at Ebute Meta as it considers charges brought by the Nigeria Police, Panti, Lagos against a lawyer, Mr. Ndubuisi Agetu for refusing to yield to force to surrender land documents of his clients to the Police on demand.For allegedly daring to defend the ethics of his profession, the Police is now trying him along side his client, Mrs. Juliet Ifeyinwa Odimbu for forgery as complained by one, Uloma Augusta Okeke, who resides in Dublin, Island.But in the evidence in chief of the complainant, Ms. Okeke, no mention was made of the lawyer's involvement in the alleged land transaction with the late husband of his client, Augustin Dimbu.It is now left for the Police to prove its case of forgery against the lawyer for acting in his professional capacity to safeguard documents handed over to him by his clients.Agetu's lawyer, M.O.A Unanka, affirmed this position at the last sitting of the court when he said: 'We urge your worship, to discharge this case. The Police are not above the law of the land. This is one case where a lawyer was charged because he was performing his professional function. If this is the case, no lawyer is safe in the hands of the Police.'But the prosecution, represented by Abram Fadipe, after consolidating their charges against the defendants at the last sitting, said they had enough evidence that would nail the lawyer and his clients at the end of the trial.This the charge against the lawyer: 'That you, Agetu, at the said time, date and place, forged a land transfer document dated June 27, 1992, knowing it to be false and with intent that it may be used and acted upon as genuine whether in the state or elsewhere to the prejudice of any person.'Agetu has since pleaded not guilty to this charge with his client and they were granted bail by the magistrate, Mr. Tubosun Abolarinwa in the sum of N500, 000 and two sureties. The magistrate granted the bail on the realization that the lawyer in question is a very senior member of the Bar.Before adjourning further proceeding in the matter to December 15, 2011, Mr. Abolarinwa remarked that 'Police will continue to charge lawyers unless lawyers stand up to defend themselves against such charges.
Click here to read full news..