A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, sentenced a 42-year-old farmer, Boniface Ikyernum, to one year imprisonment for impersonating a lawyer and forging his documents.

Mr Ikyernum, who resides at Luga Mbatiav, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue, was charged with impersonation and forgery.

The police prosecutor, Godwin Ato, told the court that the Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Makurdi branch, Maimuna Ikwulono, reported the matter at the State CID, via a petition dated November 8.

In the petition, the defendant was accused of presenting himself as a lawyer bearing S.T Akohol Esq and J.S Okutekpa SAN of J.S Okutekpa SAN & Co.

The complainant added that Mr Ikyernum also forged a letter, seal and signature of the said legal practitioners and submitted it to his tenant, Lucy Terungwa.

Mr Ato informed the court that the accused confessed to the crime, with the offences contravening sections 181 and 365 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004.

Mr Ikyernum pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him, with the Chief Magistrate, Roseline Iyorshe, sentencing him to one year imprisonment without option of fine.

(NAN)