A mild drama played out at the Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court, Abuja, on Wednesday during the hearing of a bail application filed by social media influencer and blogger, Ofoegbu Chukwuma, popularly known as Ijele.
During the proceedings, rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, threatened to raise a petition against the police counsel, B.N Ezala, who is the prosecutor in Ijele’s case, for allegedly having a secret meeting with the presiding magistrate, Emmanuel A. Iyanna.
The hearing was stalled last week as the court did not sit.
However, trouble started when Ezala arrived at the court premises on Wednesday and headed to the magistrate’s office to have a secret meeting with him while the lawyers to the defendant were seated in the courtroom.
The situation was objected to by Adeyanju who confronted Ezala over what he described as unethical conduct.
Upon sighting Ezala coming out of the magistrate’s office, Adeyanju challenged the police prosecutor while accusing her of unethical conduct.
The constitutional lawyer threatened to file a petition against Ezala before the appropriate authorities.
He expressed displeasure over the action, saying that it was not proper for the prosecution to engage in any secret meeting with the trial judge before the commencement of the proceedings.
“The matter is already before court and since you have admitted that you are a lawyer and you went to see the ‘judge?’ No problem, come and announce appearance and I will petition you for your conduct,” Adeyanju fumed.
Ijele was arrested and detained since March 20, 2024 over alleged criminal intimidation, threat to life, cyber stalking and cyber-bullying against Evangelist Ebuka Obi of the Zion Prayer Ministry Movement Outreach.
