Following a petition by the Nigerian Bar Association to the High Court, Kubwa in Abuja, lawyer Kenechukwu Okeke who filed a criminal complaint before an Abuja Magistrate Court over 50 celebrity participants of the #EndSARS protest has been confirmed to be fake.
At the hearing on Monday, 8th March 2021, it was confirmed that Kenechukwu was never called to the bar and so not on the list of directory of lawyers in Nigeria.
Recall that Kenechukwu filed a case against 50 celebrities who participated in lent their voices in the #EndSARS protest saying that they incited violence in the country and should be punished.
They include; Aisha Yesufu, Peter Okoye, Paul Okoye, David Adeleke, Folarin Falana, and a host of others.
According to the report by Sahara Reporters, ‘there were introductions from the celebrities, others and applicant, Deji Adeyanju’s lead counsel, Samuel Ihensekhien and Kenechukwu Okeke, who appeared as the first defendant, and as a counsel for himself.
The NBA Abuja Capital Chairman, Chukwuemeka Clement, also appeared in this case as amicus curiae (a friend of the court).
At the commencement of the case, Ihensekhien informed the court that given the avalanche of court process filed by all parties in the case, there was a need for a clear date to be taken by the honourable court to hear all pending applications.
This application by the applicant’s counsel was acceded to by the court, and he further informed the court that by an official letter filed by the NBA the chairman of Abuja capital that the purported first defendant in the case, Okeke, who has been filing different court processes all over Nigeria was not a lawyer.
The NBA said Okeke was not called to the bar and the NBA would further take legal and prosecutorial steps against Okeke in the case.
Reacting to the above, the NBA Capital Bar Chairman, Chukwuemeka and a representative of the NBA aligned with the applicant’s counsel’s submission and informed the court of an official NBA letter evidencing all the submissions above and further documentary evidence and authentication from the NBA website that Okeke was not a lawyer.
He informed the court that the NBA would be prosecuting Kenechukwu Okeke for impersonation in the case, and given all the above, the FCT High Court presided by Justice Bello Kawu then adjourned the case to March 30, 2021.
Okeke, who appeared in court, was visibly angry and seen by people in court to be behaving in an unruly manner and shouting, and the presiding judge had to caution him to be careful as the honourable court was in charge of its proceedings. Consequent to this, the court adjourned the matter.
Okeke failed to grant an interview to newsmen as he had promised before the court sitting and was seen rushing away from the FCT court.’
Source: Sahara Reporters
