An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday remanded in prison one Emmanuel Uba, who allegedly impersonated as a lawyer and fraudulently obtained N22 million from a businessman.

Uba was sent to jail for jumping bail for two years.  He was arrested by the police, hiding under his bed.

The accused  who resides at Iyana Oba area of Lagos, was first arraigned on Oct. 28, 2008 on a four-count charge bordering on false representation, forgery and fraud.

He, however, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, two of Uba’s kinsmen, who stood as his sureties applied to withdraw due to inconsistency of the accused.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Steven Molo, told the court that the accused attended court proceedings till sometime in 2014 ,when he  could not be traced.

The police thereafter  made efforts to re-arrest Uba.

He has been evading arrest since 2014, even his sureties, who are his kinsmen from the same hometown, were not aware of his whereabouts. He left Lagos and told his wife and children not to tell anyone his whereabouts, but the police arrested him while he was hiding under his bed,” Molo said.

Molo alleged that Uba lied to his sureties that the verdict had been delivered in his favour, and damages awarded against the complainant.

“He has been evading arrest since 2014, even his sureties, who are his kinsmen from the same hometown, were not aware of his whereabouts.

“He left Lagos and told his wife and children not to tell anyone his whereabouts, but the police arrested him while he was hiding under his bed,” Molo said.

The prosecutor told the court that the sureties had applied to withdraw as Uba’s sureties.

The Magistrate, Mr B. A. Sonuga, consequently, discharged the two men as sureties.

Sonuga remanded the accused in prison custody and adjourned the case till April 24 for continuation of trial.

Counsel to the accused, Mrs C. O. Mbah, had urged the court to admit the accused to bail, adding that the accused had some medical challenges.

According to Molo, the accused in 2008, falsely represented himself as a legal practitioner to a businessman, one John Uka, at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Ojo.

He said that the accused also allegedly presented a forged letter-headed paper of the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry to Uka, and obtained the sum of N22 million from the businessman.

The prosecutor said Uba also assured the businessman that he had become his lawyer and would represent him in any business deal.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 390, 419, 465 and 484 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.