The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has opened investigations into two lawyers accused of charging clients in foreign currencies, warning that practitioners caught demanding dollar payments will face prosecution.
The EFCC said it was particularly concerned about the growing practice of lawyers billing clients in dollars, describing it as illegal and unethical because the naira remains Nigeria’s legal tender.
The acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Bawa Kaltungo, disclosed this when a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association visited the directorate.
Kaltungo, an Assistant Commander of the EFCC, revealed that two cases involving lawyers who allegedly demanded payment in dollars were already before the directorate.
He warned that the commission would prosecute any legal practitioner found guilty of charging clients in foreign currency.
The EFCC had previously warned businesses and individuals in sectors including oil and gas and real estate against the dollarisation of transactions in Nigeria.
Kaltungo also frowned on lawyers allegedly using the name of the EFCC to impose excessive charges on clients.
He said lawyers were free to determine their professional fees but must not falsely tell clients that charges were imposed or approved by the anti-graft agency.
Meanwhile, the NBA’s Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law, led by Moshood Abiola, commended the EFCC for the recent prosecution and conviction of a fake lawyer.
Abiola said the NBA was handling several cases involving alleged malpractice and wanted stronger cooperation with the EFCC to ensure lawyers or other individuals found to have committed criminal offences were brought to justice.
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