Akwa Ibom: Remanded Human Rights Lawyer Speaks To Colleague From Prison, Denies Contempt Charge

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has insisted he did not commit contempt of court before the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom
State,Justice  Ekaette Obot, who ordered his remand in prison for one month.

THE WHISTLER reported that the judge ordered that Effiong be remanded on July 27 for contempt of court.

But on his part, Effiong tweeted on July 27 that the judge sent him to prison for demanding that a police officer should leave the courtroom for carrying a gun, arguing that it was contrary to the legal profession.

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, had also frowned on the development, adding that it will take the judge to the National Judicial Council over the matter.

Effiong, who spoke from detention to a colleague of his, Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, maintained that “he did not conduct himself in anyway or manner that amounted to his being contemptuous of the court while conducting his case before Justice  Obot in a  defamation matter  between the Akwa Ibom State Governor, UdomEmmanuel, who is the claimant, and Leo Ekpenyong, a lawyer, the defendant.”

Omirhobo stated that even though Justice Obot should be given the  benefit of  doubt to tell her own side of  the story before drawing conclusions, “but that position has  changed now because of her failure, refusal and or neglect to furnish the public with the certified true copy of thecourt proceeding by hoarding  the casefile.”

He added that she must  be held accountable  to legal and ethical standards via a formal  petition to the National Judicial Council  for disciplinary action and /or  sanction against her.

In a statement made available to THE WHISTLER on Friday,Omirhobo visited Effiong at the correctional service facility in Ikot-Ekpene  on August 3, when he stated his own side of the story.

He narrated the story as follows:

“That Justice Obot , on that faithful  day sat at about 10 a.m. announcing to all present in court that her  Lordship is coming in anger today and will not tolerate any nonsense from anybody.

“That her Lordship instructed her   police orderly to bring into the court twopolice officers armed with AK47 rifles which they did .

“That when his case was called  Samuel Ikpo, and a female junior lawyer appeared for the claimant  while he   appeared for the defendant with Augustine Asuquo.

“That even though the business of the court  for day was for the cross examination of the claimant’s witness  he however customarily as lawyers do and allowed by practise  brought to the notice of the court  his pending application for  justice Obot to recuse herself from the case because he no longer have confidence in the court to be fair and just in adjudicating the matter.

“That his notification to the court is without prejudice tofact that he had earlier on administratively via a  letter applied to the court for justice Obotto recuse herself from handling the case to no avail .

“That  justice Obot refused to hear his motion on notice for her to recuse herself . She  insisted that  it is her court  and that she will take the application on another date but that trial must go on.  

“That he nevertheless proceeded with the cross-examination of   the claimant’s witness. That while proceedings was on, in range  justice Obot ordered  Premium Times  newspaper reporter out of the court and seized his  phone .

“That feeling uncomfortable with the presence of the armed police inside the court he  drew the court’s attention  to the  presence of the  armed policemen in the court room, which constituted threat to him and safety hazards to all in the court.

“That the court ignored his concerns on the armed police men   which caused him to formerly make an application to that effect  insisting that he be recorded.

“That the court got infuriated by his application andordered him to step out from the Bar and derobe himself,   which he did . 

“That the court consequently committed him to prison for contempt for one full Calender month.

“That his plea was not taken neither was he given  the opportunity to address the court on his committal to prison for alleged contempt.”