It was yet another drama in Court as regards the controversial interpretation on the Supreme Court judgment on Hijab, when Abuchi Goshen Ogbachalu, a controversial lawyer was ordered to leave the Magistrate Court for dressing in priestly attire.
In a video making round and sighted by The Lawyer, Abuchi Goshen Ogbachalu was seen dressed in full priestly attire – a black cassock, black bishopric cap and white pastoral collar. The Magistrate on seat refused Abuchi Goshen Ogbachalu, and subsequently ordered him to leave the Court. ” Mr Ogbachalu till you are properly dressed, leave my court. I am directing to leave my Court.” The Magistrate said.
Insisting on being properly dressed before the Court despite being dressed in Priestly attire, Mr. Ogbachalu stated thus: “Your Worship I did not state that I was a lawyer, The Federal Republic of Nigeria said by virtue of the powers conferred on the Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB) Abuchi Goshen Ogbachalu is called barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. I did not say so, Your Worship.”
Still insisting that it was within his powers to make an appearance before the Court, Ogbachalu said thus: “Your Worship it is your Court, but the Court is also a public place and as a lawyer and a litigant, I can appear before this Court.”
He continued that he was going to respect the orders of the Court but wanted it to be on notice that the Court had asked a lawyer who wanted to observe proceedings to leave the Court. According to him: “I am here before this Court today just as an observer pending when Your Learned Brother Presides, and I was asked to leave. I want lawyers to take judicial notice.”
He went on to tell the Court that according to the Supreme Court’s decision he can appear before any Court of competent jurisdiction in this country.
In reply, the Magistrate said that it remained the right for the Court to order Counsels to leave and they can go ahead to do whatever they wanted to do about this. The Court went on to order his immediate leave as he was distracting Court proceedings.
Mr. Ogbachalu then stated that he was going to obey the Court. In his words: “of Course your Worship, I cannot fight the Court. I have I just announced my appearance. May it please the court, it shall be well with the Court.”
This is the 2nd time Abuchi Goshen Ogbachalu has been in the middle of drama in Court. You would recall that in Mr. Ogbachalu had on June 30th insisted on entering appearance in a Magistrate Court in Anambra, which caused the Magistrate to abandon the Court proceedings.
For Mr. Ogbachalu, this is a reaction to the Supreme Court controversial decision on the case Lagos State government v Asiyat Abdulkareem popularly known now as Hijab Case. However, Mr. Ogbachalu is not the only lawyer dressing in their traditional attire in reaction of the Court’s decision.
