Court remands self-styled lawyer

The Asante Akropong District Court yesterday remanded a self-styled lawyer in prison custody for attempting to represent a client in a murder case before the Nyinahin District Court of the Ashanti Region.

Kyei Baffour, 39, was arrested by the police, following a report by the Magistrate, Mr Rockson Kpodo, of the Nyinahin District Court that her checks at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the General Legal Counsel (GLC) indicated that the suspect had not been called to the Bar.

The plea of Baffour was not taken, and would appear again on November 16, this year.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Sylvanus Dalmeida, told the court that the police were contacting the GBA and the GLC to ascertain the professional identity of the suspect.

Prosecution said the suspect, who claimed to be a lawyer, presented himself as counsel for a client in alleged murder case, involving Selorm Agama, which was before the court in the Atwima Mponua District.

DSP Dalmeida said during interrogation, the suspect admitted that he was not a lawyer, and claimed he had knowledge in law after undertaking professional legal courses in the United States of America.

Hitherto, the suspect, who had several cases before the court, had told the Magistrate that he was called to the Bar in 2015 and gave his license number as EAR 21053/21.

However, upon a search by the Magistrate from the GBA and GLC, it was  revealed that the suspect had not been called to the Bar.- GNA