The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has warned legal practitioners against charging clients in foreign currencies, describing the practice as illegal and unethical.
Drivetvnews gathered that the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, issued the warning on September 11 in Lagos while receiving members of the Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law.
Kaltungo disclosed that the directorate was handling two cases involving lawyers who allegedly demanded professional fees in dollars.
He said the naira remained Nigeria’s legal tender and warned that any lawyer found culpable of charging clients in foreign currencies would face prosecution.
The EFCC official also cautioned lawyers against using the commission’s name to justify excessive charges to clients. He acknowledged that lawyers had the right to determine their professional fees but said they should not falsely claim that such charges were imposed or required by the EFCC.
The Head of the NBA Lagos Task Force, Moshood Abiola, commended the EFCC for the recent prosecution and conviction of a fake lawyer, describing the action as swift and reassuring.
Abiola said the task force had identified several cases involving alleged professional misconduct and called for stronger cooperation with the EFCC to ensure practitioners involved in criminal activities were brought to justice.
An EFCC official in the Department of Legal and Prosecution, ACE I Orhieoghene Adewunmi, urged the NBA to publicise sanctions imposed on lawyers found guilty of professional misconduct so members of the public could avoid engaging their services.
Another official, ACE II Henry Anasoh, expressed concern over cases where some lawyers allegedly assist suspects in frustrating investigations or obstructing justice, including through the presentation of questionable documents in bail applications.
Anasoh urged the NBA to support efforts to remove unethical practitioners from the profession, stressing that the actions of a few individuals should not damage the reputation of the legal profession.
