₦airaland Forum

ISpiksDaTroof:
Ok, so something is definitely wrong here. This man was decertified and disbarred as a Lawyer years ago, so how was he representing Nigeria in court?



Circuit Court for Baltimore County Case No. 03-C-09-000726 OC

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF MARYLAND

Misc. Docket AG No. 52 September Term, 2008

ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE COMMISSION OF MARYLAND

v. GODSON M. NNAKA

Bell, C.J., Harrell Battaglia Greene *Murphy Adkins Barbera,

JJ.

Per Curiam

Filed: August 21, 2012

*Murphy, J., now retired, participated in the hearing and conference of this case while an active member of this Court, but did not participate in the
decision or adoption of this opinion.

Petitioner Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland (“AGC”), acting through Bar Counsel, filed a Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action (“Petition”) against Respondent Godson M. Nnaka. Bar Counsel charged Nnaka with violating the Maryland Lawyer’s Rules of Professional Conduct (“MLRPC”) in his capacity as representative of two couples, the Dowuonas and the Shupes, in two matters. Specifically, Bar Counsel alleged that Nnaka violated the following rules: (1) Rule 1.1 (Competence);1 (2) Rule 1.3 (Diligence);2 (3) Rule 1.4 (Communication);3 (4) Rule 8.1 (Bar

Admission and Disciplinary

1Rule 1.1 provides:

A lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.

2Rule 1.3 provides:

A lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client.

3Rule 1.4 provides:

(a) A lawyer shall:

(1) promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance with respect to which the client’s informed consent, as defined in Rule 1.0(f), is

required by these Rules;

(2) keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matter;

(3) promptly comply with reasonable requests for information; and

(4) consult with the client about any relevant limitation on the lawyer’s conduct when the lawyer knows that the client expects assistance not
permitted by the Maryland Lawyer’s Rules of Professional Conduct or other law.

(b) A lawyer shall explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation.

Matters);4 and (5) Rule 8.4(c)–(d) (Misconduct).5

Following a hearing before the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Judge Robert N.Dugan issued findings of fact and conclusions of law, in which he found by clear and convincing evidence that Nnaka violated MLRPC Rules 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.4(b), 8.1(b), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d).

Findings of Fact

The AGC’s investigation of Nnaka was triggered by the complaint of Fred and Elizabeth Dowuona and the complaint of Jerry and Jacqueline Shupe.

After the hearing, Judge Dugan made a number of findings of fact, by clear and convincing evidence, which we summarize as follows:
Nnaka was originally admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1995. He was decertified in

4Rule 8.1 provides:

An applicant for admission or reinstatement to the bar, or a lawyer in connection with a bar admission application or in connection with a disciplinary matter, shall not:

(a) knowingly make a false statement of material fact; or (b) fail to disclose a fact necessary to correct a misapprehension known by the person to have arisen in the matter, or knowingly fail to respond to a lawful demand for information from an admissions or disciplinary authority, except that this Rule does not require disclosure of information otherwise protected by Rule 1.6.

5Rule 8.4 provides, in relevant part:

It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:
***
(c) engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or
misrepresentation;
(d) engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice[.]
2
2009 for nonpayment of his assessment to the Client Protection Fund.

In November 2006, Fred and Elizabeth Dowuona retained Respondent to handle claims arising from a March 2006 automobile accident involving

Mrs. Dowuona. Respondent prepared a retainer agreement, signed by both parties, under which he was paid $5000, in two installments, in

November 2006 and January 2007. After the agreement was executed, Respondent traveled to Nigeria, his home country, for an extended period without informing the Dowuonas.

The Dowuonas were unable to communicate with Respondent, despite making several attempts to contact him about their case between December 2006 and the beginning of 2007. Furthermore, Respondent did not notify the Dowuonas when he relocated his office within Baltimore in the summer of 2007. The Dowuonas did not hear from Respondent until June 2007, when he called from Nigeria and left them a telephone message saying that the Dowuonas had four years to settle any matters arising from the accident.

On November 8, 2007, Respondent met with the Dowuonas, who requested that Respondent provide them with documents relating to any work Respondent had performed. He was unable to do so. Respondent instead demanded an additional $15,000 to continue his representation. After the Dowuonas declined, Respondent did not return their documents so that the Dowuonas could retain new counsel.

The next day, Respondent wrote the Dowuonas and said that he did not believe they had a cause of action stemming from the March 2006 accident, and that he would not be providing any additional legal representation. Respondent also provided an invoice accounting for the $5000 fee and detailing services rendered from July 2006 to November 3 2007. The time billed “appears suspect,” but Bar Counsel did not pursue the issues of theft or misappropriation of funds.

A letter from Respondent to Bar Counsel in the Dowuonas’ case asserted that Respondent agreed only to review the case and determine if there was a basis for a lawsuit. The Dowuonas disputed this, claiming that Respondent was hired to represent them and that the retainer was also to be used to hire an accident reconstruction expert. The Dowuonas did not testify or submit affidavits to this effect, however, and the Court was unable to judge their credibility. Based on the evidence submitted at the hearing, it is unclear whether Respondent was hired merely to investigate or to also provide further legal services. The Court did not make a specific finding of fact on this issue.

Respondent was also retained by Jacqueline and Jerry Shupe in February 2004, to represent them in claims arising from dental work performed by Vivencio R. Reyes in February 2003. Mrs. Shupe alleged medical malpractice against Reyes, and Mr. Shupe sought a loss of consortium claim. In June 2005, the Shupes paid Respondent an initial retainer of $3000.

Shortly before the statute of limitations was to run, on February 10, 2006, Respondent filed a complaint against Reyes on behalf of the Shupes in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. In the complaint, Respondent attached a document captioned “Certificate of Merit and Report of Expert Witness,” signed by Richard M. Rosenthal, D.M.D. The Certificate failed to comply with the statutory requirement that a report of the expert be attached. On July 16, 2006, Respondent served a designation of experts upon the defendant, in which he identified Rosenthal as the plaintiffs’ expert, but he again did not provide an expert report.

4

While the Shupes’ case was pending, Respondent did not cooperate with discovery, causing defense counsel to file a motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, to compel discovery. The motion was granted on January 24, 2007, and the Shupes had to comply with all outstanding discovery requests or suffer a dismissal of their case. Respondent failed to comply with the court’s order, and he did not advise his clients about the failure to file the expert report, the motion to compel, or any of the outstanding discovery in their case. Instead, in November 2006, Respondent left the United States for Nigeria, apparently to run for president of Nigeria. While Respondent was out of the country in December 2006, defense counsel filed a motion to strike plaintiffs’ certificate of qualified expert and to dismiss for failure to comply with the corresponding statutes. Respondent did not advise the Shupes of his absence from the country or of the motions to strike and dismiss.

During December 2006, Respondent shared office space and an assistant, Angela Gathogo, with another Maryland attorney, Theo I. Oguine. While Respondent was out of the country, Gathogo informed Oguine of the motions to strike and dismiss. Oguine thus filed a motion for extension of time to respond to those motions, in an effort to buy Respondent some time to return to the United States. Oguine did not seek compensation from the Shupes for his efforts, and the Shupes knew neither that Oguine had filed the motion on their behalf nor that Respondent was still out of the country.

He handled the looted find case in 2004. He was decertified in 2009.

agabusta:
This is getting more interesting. This guy may actually win this case in the US, if the Nigerian govt indeed signed contract papers with him. Chai! Thats some serious cash.

He may in turn also have to pay 40% to the lawyer that assists him with the case

This is USA. He obviously has a good case. 33.3% legal fees no be play for America ooo. It must be paid.

Is this guy like 12 or what?

This is crazy

Somatohadidas:
From MSSNOAU to all Stalites, Freshers, friends and well-wishers within and outside OAU Campus_

MADAM D.S.A AND HER “BROTHELS”*
*A RESPONSE.

In a five page sheets of nausea issued from the Madam, Acting Dean of the DSA this afternoon (Dr. G.O Akinola), she claimed, after paragraphs of ambiguities and name-calling, that the well-known and well-visited Awo and Faj hall mosque is “running a brothel”, breeding prostitution.

Though we never expect nothing less from the DSA, but we never know it will stoop this low. We wonder if any sense of honour remains in the heart controlling the hand that penned that release. For it calls to mind baffling questions already begging for answers, not to talk of the shock and rage the association of “prostitution” with two hall mosques, a religious space, is certainly going to provoke.

HER VISIT TO THE HALL MOSQUES

What provoked this laughable accusations, we were told in her release, was her visit to the mosques two days ago.

Clearly naive, she went into the mosque from the male side and started banging on the door from that side, in the name of knocking, in a bid to gain access to the female side. The ridiculousness of the situation was clearly manifest in the slowness of the sisters from their section of the mosque to open the door she was knocking, for they are not used to sudden knocks on their door from the brother's side at any other time except during the time for academic tutorials and arabic classes which have fixed times.

So they were slow to open the door, and when it was eventually opened and Madam DSA barged in, the only explanation she could give was that these sisters were slow to open the door because they are prostitutes, and the mosque where we all worship our lord, she claims, is where they ply their trade!

Her entry was just the beginning of an ugly story.

We have seen this, and before we see more, we are challenging her to employ all the might in her possession to bring out subtantive evidence that there are brothels in the mosques and that it is breeding prostitutes. The honour of multitudes she is dallying with will not leave unchecked!

But that aside, her whole bundle of papers need dissection, for it is rare to find such a concentration of falsehoods and inaccuracies that have been managed to be packed into five sheets:

1) On her claim that “students who wanted to impose themselves and their doctrines which are not consistent with the constitution of MSSN Members caused issues at the inauguration” at the central mosque.

Her first obvious collision with the truth was this – And it shows her complete ignorance of the details of this issues before delving into it or a deliberate and mischievous effort to turn the while story upside down.

Even the most passive Muslim student on this campus knows the true story of what led to the "inauguration” fracas, and we all know the elderly initiator and sole participant to initiate the disturbance that day. She would be kind to tell us if it is a sin to raise your hand to ask a question at an open gathering or if the elder flying at the questioner with the aim of trying to tear him into shreds justify the act of trying to impose executives on thousands of mature students who are capable of steering their own affairs.

The DSA hasn’t made its research enough despite the surplus sources of information as regards what really happened at the central mosque that day. We can only say she has only chosen to get her info from where she wishes clearly. An evidence that was witnessed by hundreds of students can never be written away by a few lines with her manufactured version. The while world knows who really caused the issue. Madam, you are not writing for imbeciles to read. Video records abound.
Re: Oau: Madam D.s.a And Her “brothels” A Response. by Newnas(m): 6:40am On Sep 03
2) On her insistence on “a week to be given to permit the group interact with the Mainstream MSSN and settle their disagreement”

Our records of meetings with her rather shows her insistence of solving issues amicably with the Muslim Community rather than the so called _"Mainstream MSSN”(whatever that means, unless the MC is now the Mainstream MSSN)_ as she claims.

However, this also points to her ignorance of the issue on ground. A week or not, she seems not to realize, or have deliberately closed her eyes to the glaring fact before, during and after the “Inauguration” saga that the MC she is sending us to convince within a week to persuade to come back to its senses is not ready to shift grounds on its decision to forcefully impose a minute set of faceless mischievous students on the generality of OAU Muslim students as leaders at any cost.

We will ask her if it is that easy to convince an antagonist to a truce, when he is even ready for a dialogue, within a week, not to talk of one who is not ready for one in the foreseeable future, if ever. Anyway, posterity will record us a making an attempt in her one week of ordering us to take a camel through the eye of a needle and at our last meeting with her, that is on 31st August we reported to her that the camel won’t bulge to even move not to talk of passing it through the eye of a needle.

3) On her claim that the two hall mosques are being used for “ anti-mainstream MSSN rhetorics and doctrinal disagreement on campus, including recruitment of students for their separate teachings”.

At this juncture, it becomes clear that the Acting Dean must be having a hidden personal stake in this brightening embers, for she has been seen fanning it.

Our advice to her is not take this issue personal, for when it grows beyond her purview, only God knows how many she will answer to.

In short, we call on her to produce evidence of recruitment going on at the two mosques! Her failure to do so guarantees her a place in the hall of liars, at the corner of those known with producing blatant lies.

On her mention of suggesting closure of the mosques while we go and reach agreement on “doctrinal or worship issues”.

What does she know about the doctrines and mode of worship in Islam?

Our many meeting with her usually put us at a disadvantage on some issues regarding Islam simply because of her inability to grasp the meaning of some simple Islamic concepts, even despite her claim of agelong purported Muslim affiliations.

5)On the “report” she claimed came to her that a “religious programme” is being planned to be held in Awolowo Hall Cafeteria the following Day (i.e 28th August, 2016).

We wonder the idle individual or individuals who gave her the highly unnecessary “report” that a programme that has been holding every Sunday at that venue decades before her appointment as the Acting Dean will also holds on the 28th. If not having a mischievous agenda, sponsored or wholly her own, she’d not suddenly develop a ridiculous suspicion towards an open and peaceful programme already well known to both Muslims and Christians on this campus.
Re: Oau: Madam D.s.a And Her “brothels” A Response. by Newnas(m): 6:47am On Sep 03
6)On her claim that we sent a text message to the DSA that we’d all be having a “continuous assessment tests from 10am to 5pm on the 31st August” to avoid meeting with her.

This is either a calculated twisting of the facts on this or an innocent misreading of our text message, which since her motives is now getting clearer, we will only be too glad to explain to her again.

No test of any nature will hold from 10am to 5pm on this campus and she very well knows that. How she concluded that the text message mentioning that “our” tests which (collectively) is referring to various brothers that will be participating at the meeting having their various tests in their various department at different times between 10am and 5pm of the 31st of August can be misread beats the imagination.

The wordings of the text message sent to her (through the Vice-Dean):

“Good evening sir, we request the meeting should be shifted as some of us will be having tests at that time and will be finishing around 5pm, we want to know when it will be convenient for you. Thanks…

7)On her bizarre claim of girls being “locked” “in a room” in the mosque “by their leaders.”

The locked room being referred to by this forever baffling Acting Dean is the entrance to the section of the mosque. On this, we don’t find it surprising that she is even unaware of the plain and common fact that Muslims have separate places of worship sectioned separately for males and females in all mosques, since we have witnessed her other blunders regarding her familiarity with Islam.

coolOn her claim that the said girls she met in their side of the mosque are “locked” there by their leaders, we have nothing to say except

“…supplicate earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars” Qur’an 3 vs 61.

9)On her strange admission of finding girls at the mosque “during lecture hours”.

We wonder if everybody on campus have the same lecture hours that dictates everybody be at lectures at exactly the same time? So it really gives one mental agony seeing how she’s making an issue of finding them at the mosque when they should be in her own defined “lecture hours”. Does their lack of a lecture at that time and their presence in the mosque at that time justify calling them prostitutes!!! Acting dean!!!

10)She said there is a practice of “harboring girls in rooms within the mosques”.

We’ll be glad to see her point again to the female side of the mosque where the females perform their daily acts of worship as the room where “harboring girls in the mosques” is going on. The world will be glad for the laugh.

[b]10)Even as ID cards were obligingly given to her, this jesting Madam pulled up her dishonorable conclusions out of thin air.[b]

Our hastily acting dean shoots herself in the leg after implying our sisters are in their side of the mosque performing immoral actions by admitting she obtained ID cards, obligingly, from all of them except one who wasn’t with hers and was vouched for by a brother.

We want to ask if girls that she says don’t “go lectures” at “lecture hours”, girls that have been “locked” in by her manufactured “their leaders” and are plying the trade of prostitution in the Mosques use for worship of the lord will obligingly hand over their active ID cards to her if they have something to hide?

Madam D.S.A came to the Mosque on an agenda, no doubt, and the scapegoat she thought will be slaughtered after a chase turned out to be human afterall, and they, to her chagrin, came to her slaughter slab without a fight. The knife falls.

We are waiting for her proofs (hard one) that they are conducting prostitution in the Mosque where we all pray, and how career prostitutes who are locked up managed to obtain the school ID card under her nose.

_________________________

For more info:

-- MSSNOAU OFFICIAL HOTLINES: +2348078213310, +2348036733982.

-- Facebook: www.facebook.com/oaumuslimstudents

-- Email: mssnoauife@yahoo.com

-- Twitter: @mssnoau

_________________________

Please help rebroadcast to others.

This is not the first time allegations of harbouring female undergraduates in the mosques has been leveled against mssn members. I could remember vividly in 2008 the case of a lady that was impregnated and was imprisoned in that mosque. I was in my finals and was on the STC team that was working with the school authority to reinstate the union.

Fabrication and playing the victim has been the modus operandi of MSSN OAU from time. Dr. Durosinmi allowed that go unchecked because shes a Muslim herself. This new DSA won't have none of it.

Newnas:
You are really really far from sane!!!

"camped against their wish" you are thinking with your rectum I think!

Well, the fear and awe your descendants have for the Muslims is a sign of the beating their forefathers received. Your blabbing is just to boost your ego.

Fear and awe? That you're delusional is an understatement. Only civility the OAU culture didn't let us exterminate you rag-heads that day. Keep living in your delusion

Newnas:
If you decide to be pervert it's your cup of tea!!!

That day is not the first time the Awo Boys are watching the filth, but you and your fellow perverts were used to harassing females verbally on campus -as it is still done till today- by saying all forms of immoral speeches to any female passing by after watching your crap.

You and your cohorts ran out of luck the day you extended your evil tongues at a Muslim sister. Of course you perverts needed to be thought some lessons.

A brother went into the common room and seized the DVD player and the fight started. You guys got what you deserved and till today your descendants know their limits.

Awo boys can't watch porn but you people can have females camped against their wish in the mosque. It's more like you extremists got what you deserved. A good number of you went home in bandages all around their heads. Your casualty figures was so much the health center started rejecting people.

Whatever you do, you will not be allowed to impose your extremist views on everybody.

Vastjoy:
I stayed in Awo throughout my undergraduate days and I supported virtually all the actions taken then by my Amirs. I remembered how we tried to stop Awo boys from watching porn at TV room every Friday nights.

You folks always try to impose your beliefs on others. How does Awo boys watching open affect your religion? I fully participated in the stoning of your Muslim extremists in Awo hall that fateful day in 2006. Live and let others live. You have brothels in your mosques but others can't watch open in peace?

ichoku:
Despite all the noise. They can only copy. We know the right holders to women uprising against taxation in the whole of Africa. They were imitated clear twenty years after.


IGBO ndi oma ekene oooo

There's a difference between a "PROTEST" and a "RIOT". Your Aba women were thugs rioting and looting other people's stores in the market. *typical though* I'm sure this evolved into armed robbery in their children later on.

Kuti led a peaceful protest which achieved it's objectives without rioting or any form of violence.

What?

O ga ooo

This Japanese guy probably bet $5,000,000 on Nigeria to win and then drop some coins to motivate the team to win. So it's a win- win situation for him and the team.

Correct

You did the right thing.

Pointnoire:
There was no harassment here , the least the clown would have done is to show his California drivers license, "abi e no get " instead of calling Chi Chi , In California he would be arrested and his Vehicle either impounded or a friend/relative has to come get it ....in this case we get to free our Police i beg !!!

I'm California all they had to do is get his social security number or run his plate to ascertain his identity. And pple don't get stopped irrationally. The police guy was rambling from hemp to license.

room089:
I didn't see the harassment there, the police are just doing their work.

What kind of work is spanning from hemp particles to drivers license? In Naija, do you get your drivers license the day you pay for it?

Hmmm

Lawmakers wanted to ......

ThrillmeatRep:
Lol
Did u pass moz 101?

If I didn't pass how else was I able to register MOR 201 and MOR 409 and MOR 410? Passed all in flying colors

ThrillmeatRep:
Lived in moz then moved to town
2005/2006

We may even know each other........ You know all those Anglo -moz things

I lived in Blk 3 Room 77 in 2003/2004 academic session. That block was always crazy

G

It's not much of a big deal.

bejeiodus:
And how would that have helped their struggle? Violence won't birth Biafra. They could have won him over by being civil to him.

Being civil by letting him snatch their flag right?

edey2real:
Melaye does not need to make noise about this now. He should bring the original police report to court if he has it simple.

You don't need to be crying about.

Is he the IG or the AGF? At times I wonder how people reason.

LordofNairaland:
“ The issue came up in 2007, and we investigated and found out that his WASC is with the military and that was why he was allowed to contest in 2007.

Buhari cannot listen to anyone about his certificates because as a General of Nigeria Army, he will speak when he chooses not by Femi Fani Kayode and Okupe asking him. Fayose and other corrupt people including Kashamu do not want Buhari because of his anti- corruption slogan."

—Olusegun Obasanjo (2015)

There must always be a reason why he was allowed to contest. Even IBB, who I am sure knows a lot about Buhari's original certificates, attests to the fact that Buhari had degrees (Including the equivalent of a master's) from reputable military schools. The only people that can demand for certificates are those that passed him fit to contest. He doesn't owe any of you his certificates. He has the right to decide not to show anyone not constitutional authorized to check them his certificate. And refusing to show his certificate doesn't mean he doesn't possess the requirements. The Exam body have also attested to the fact that Buhari sat for the exams and passed English Language which qualifies one for a certificate.

What scam body attested to buhari sitting for exams? Mind you I have friends and relatives in the Nigerian military. The Army don't take anybody's certificate. After getting it is handed back to you. The IBB lie doesn't cut it at all. In a system where things work, Buhari would have resigned for this scandal. Even Fayose showed his WAEC result

KenOne:
Lere Olayinka is the most dumb and illiterate spokesman or aid I have ever seen,before you come out in public to disgrace yourself and Fayose so that wailers and IPOB tout will hail you consult your dictionary if you don't know what middle school means. Ok Lere here is the meaning of Middle school (A middle school is a school for students older than elementary school but not yet in high school or secondary school as the case maybe) This Lere Olayinka of a guy likes goofing same wrong calculation he made about when PMB married Aisha and the wailers without cross checking started praising him and abusing PMB not knowing that Lere's elementary school is questionable for not getting simple arithmetics of subtract,multiply and addition of primary school. May my enemies keep making these kind of Lere's mistake in Jesus name.

Zombie defender. What is the name of the middle school? What other school did bullhari attend after that?

fyneguy:
Hmmm red flag.

Instead of denying opening such an account, she subtly tried to justify the source of the funds.

You need to learn to read. totally false, baseless and at best the imagination of the publishers,” the ex-Minister said that “if the reports were true, I would have been arrested long before now, especially at a time when the EFCC is freezing accounts and going after opposition governors who enjoy same level of immunity as the president.”

The boldened part is the denial.

NigerianSHA:
This is too much, stop pushing this to FP...how many divks did she suck to get to where she is...that's all I wanna know.


The worst thing is she's ugly and I mean very ugly that's the most irritating part

With this kind of nose, I'm sure if your mother take out her weave and fake teeth, she will be uglier than this babe.

You have to check the merchandise to know its safe for your son and you've not been scammed.