This law states that the only authorized personnel to prepare instruments and documents on sale or transfer of land are Legal Practitioners/Lawyers. Sec 22(1)(d) of the Legal Practitioners Act criminalizes the act of preparing a land instrument for immovable property by a non-lawyer. Doing so can attract a fine, two years imprisonment (or below), or even both a fine and term of imprisonment.
Hence, any land agreement prepared for you by a non-lawyer is void. Furthermore, if you are buying landed property, ensure that the person who prepared the document is a lawyer. The way to know this is that the lawyer’s seal will be fixed on the document (and should bear his/her name). If you are one selling the property, ensure a lawyer prepares the conveyancing agreement.
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