— “I have not done anything. I wasn’t even given opportunity to say anything before the ‘conviction,’ says the jailed lawyer defending a libel case brought by Governor Udom Emmanuel

By Sam Egburonu, Editor

A lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who came to a court in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, to defend a client in a libel case against the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel,  has been sent to jail for one month by the Chief Judge of the state,  Justice Ekaette Obot.

Explaining how the court he went to to defend a client in a libel case, turned around to hand him a prison ‘judgment,’  Effiong tweeted: “I have just been sent to Uyo prison by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, for one month for defending Leo Ekpenyong in the libel suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel.

“The Chief Judge of Akwa Akwa Ibom ordered a Premium Times reporter to leave the court. I said my lord, we were thinking that since the proceeding is public, that members of the public should be allowed to observe the proceeding. My Lord asked me to proceed with cross examination. 

“I obeyed. I informed the court that I was not feeling comfortable and safe having two armed mobile policemen seated inside the courtroom, that it was strange and that I felt unsafe. I applied for the judge to excuse the armed policemen from the courtroom.

“The Hon. Chief Judge then ordered me to step out of the Bar, that she was sending me to prison. She then ordered the policemen to take me to Uyo prison. And that I should be in jail for one month. I am waiting inside the courtroom for them to bring the conviction warrant.

“I will be going to the Uyo Correctional Centre now. I have not done anything. I wasn’t even given opportunity to say anything before the ‘conviction’.

Two lawyers in court appealed to the Hon. Chief Judge but my Lord insisted that I must be jailed.”