EndSARS: Lawyer who filed case against Sam Adeyemi, Davido, Falz, 47 others is fake — NBA

A lawyer, Kenechukwu Okeke, who filed a criminal complaint before an Abuja Magistrate Court over the actions of 50 persons, including celebrities during the October 2020 EndSARS struggles, has been confirmed to be fake and never called to the bar.

The Nigerian Bar Association confirmed on Monday that Okeke was fake and not on the list of directory of lawyers in Nigeria.

NBA had reported Okeke via an official letter to the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kubwa.

At the hearing of the matter on Monday, the case was called up and 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 curea (a friend of the court).

At the commencement of the case, Ihensekhien informed the court that in view of 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 actually 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 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 in view of 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 upon this, the court adjourned the matter.

Okeke failed to grant an interview to journalists as he had promised before court sitting and was seen rushing away from the FCT court.