Neda Imasuen, chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, has been permanently disbarred from practicing law in New York, U.S., due to allegations of multimillion-dollar fraud and gross misconduct. According to documents obtained by Peoples Gazette, Mr. Imasuen was disbarred for life after absconding with a client’s legal fees without representing her in court.
In 2009, Daphne Shyfield hired Mr. Imasuen, paying him tens of millions of dollars for legal representation. However, he failed to appear in court on her behalf and subsequently fled to Nigeria with her funds, evading disciplinary actions from the Grievance Committee responsible for overseeing attorney conduct. Despite multiple petitions and attempts to investigate his misconduct, Mr. Imasuen did not respond, leading to his disbarment on May 10, 2010. The Grievance Committee’s decision stated:
“Neda B. Imasuen, admitted as Neda Bernards Imasuen, is disbarred, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law.”
Upon returning to Nigeria, Mr. Imasuen, 66, leveraged the Labour Party’s platform to win the Edo South senatorial seat in 2023. He subsequently became the chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions. His appointment has raised concerns about the integrity of individuals in leadership positions, especially given his history of disregarding petitions.
Recently, Mr. Imasuen dismissed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, citing procedural issues. He deemed the petition “dead on arrival” because it was signed by Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan herself, which he claimed violated Senate rules. The petition was later accepted after being resubmitted with the appropriate constituent’s signature.
Mr. Imasuen’s disbarment adds to the list of Nigerian politicians with controversial pasts occupying high-ranking government positions. For instance, Femi Gbajabiamila, former Speaker and current Chief of Staff to the President, had his law license terminated by the State Bar of Georgia in the U.S. over corruption and ethical lapses, including admitting to stealing $25,000 from a client.
As of now, Mr. Imasuen has not responded to inquiries regarding his disbarment in New York.
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