Judge Sends Human Rights Lawyer To Prison For Defending Client

The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Ekaette Obot, has sent a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, to prison.

Mr Effiong who is handling a case for his client before Justice Obot’s court in Uyo disclosed this in a message he posted on his WhatsApp status around 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday.

“I have been sent to Uyo prison by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, for one month for defending Leo Ekpenyong in a libel suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel,” Mr Effiong said in the WhatsApp message.

The lawyer, who is based in Lagos, flew into Uyo for the case.

Another lawyer in Uyo confirmed to The Lawyer that the judge pronounced the prison sentence against Mr Effiong.

Mr Effiong later posted details of the incident on his Twitter page.

“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,” he wrote.

“I will be going to the Uyo Correctional Centre now. I have not done anything. I wasn’t even 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.”

Justice Obot in previous proceedings had ordered court officials to temporarily seize phones from reporters and others in the courtroom, apparently to prevent the proceedings from being recorded secretly.

She had threatened to send Mr Effiong to prison.