A suspended To get Senator Neda Bernards Imasuen removed from the Nigerian Bar, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has formally petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
According to the petition, which is based on claims of professional misconduct, Senator Imasuen was previously disbarred from the New York Bar for a number of significant offenses, including fraud, misappropriation of client funds, and noncompliance with disciplinary authorities.
On May 10, 2010, the Appellate Division, Second Department of the New York Supreme Court permanently disbarred Senator Imasuen, according to the petition.
This move came when a client named Daphne Slyfield filed a formal complaint accusing Imasuen of embezzling legal fees. His US law license was revoked after the court found him guilty of several professional conduct violations.
According to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator Imasuen continued to practice law in Nigeria after being disbarred in the United States, posing as a lawyer and entering politics.
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In addition to serving as the senator for the Edo South Senatorial District, Imasuen was named chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, a position that requires the highest integrity.
Before running for public office, Senator Imasuen submitted his FORM EC-9 – Particulars of Personal Information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but the petition alleges that he neglected to report his disbarment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to take appropriate action in her petition, pointing out the inconsistencies in Imasuen’s disclosures and raising concerns about whether someone with such a background should be able to hold a powerful position in the Senate.
