A judge, Nkeonye Maha, of the
Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday accused a lawyer of disrupting her court
proceedings.
Abubakar Marshal, a member of the
legal team representing detained convener of the botched #Revolutionnow#
protest, Omoyele Sowore, had approached the judge in the court shortly before
the commencement of proceedings.
Mr Sowore is currently being
detained by the federal government for treason after calling for an
anti-government protest tagged RevolutionNow.
The court had a few weeks ago
granted the request of the State Security Service to detain the Sahara
Reporters publisher.
Mr Abubakar on Monday noted that
the case file has not been remitted back to a judge, Taiwo Taiwo, a week after
Ms Maha recused herself from hearing the matter.
Altercation
In a short exchange between the
lawyer and the judge, Ms Maha accused Mr Abubakar of ”grandstanding and
disrupting her proceedings”.
The lawyer then said ”it was
better for him to approach the judge in open court as he does not want to have
an ex parte discussion with her in chambers that could be misconstrued”.
He asked that the case file be
taken back to Justice Taiwo whom he noted has resumed from vacation.
The enraged judge noted that the
issue was an administrative one and ”that it would be resolved”.
“Your lordship. I am here in respect of
Omoyele sowore case you remitted back to your learned brother justice Taiwo
Taiwo,” the lawyer said.
The judge in response said, “Yes,
is that why you are disturbing my court, grandstanding before me over an
administrative matter.”
Mr Abubakar then said: “Well your
lordship had recused from the said case. I was informed that the case file is
still with my lord, thus preventing Hon Justice Taiwo Taiwo’s court from
setting the case down for hearing of pending applications to decide the same
one way or the other.”
The judge replied: “I said this
is administrative, it is not a reason to come and disturb my court.”
The lawyer said, “I know your
lordship. I didn’t want to have an ex parte discussion with your lordship in
chambers, that is why I am here (in open court).
The judge then turned to the
registrar and asked her to call the first case.
She again turned to the lawyer,
“do not come and disturb my court’s business over such matters again.”
Ms Maha, addressing journalists
in the courtroom, said, “Please know what you will report. I have no hand in
the matter again please.”
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