There was a mild drama at the Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court, Abuja, yesterday, as a human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, threatened to raise a petition against police counsel, B.N. Ezala, who is the prosecutor in the case involving a social media influencer and blogger, Ofoegbu Chukwuma, also known as Ijele, for allegedly meeting secretly with the presiding magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna.
The defendant’s bail application was stalled last week following the inability of the court to sit at the last adjourned date; hence, the case was slated for hearing, yesterday.
Trouble started when Ezala arrived at the court premises and headed for the Magistrate’s office, while the lawyers to the defendant were seated in the courtroom.
Adeyanju objected to the situation and confronted Ezala over what he described as unethical conduct.
The visibly angry human rights lawyer, upon sighting Ezala coming out of the Magistrate’s office, challenged the police prosecutor, accusing her of unethical conduct, just as he threatened to file a petition against her before the appropriate authorities.
Expressing displeasure over the action, Adeyanju said it was not proper for the prosecution to engage in any secret meeting with the trial judge before the commencement of proceedings.
While confronting the prosecutor, Adeyanju asked if she was a lawyer and she admitted that she was a lawyer.
“The matter is already before the court and since you have admitted you are a lawyer and went to see the ‘judge’, no problem. Come and announce your appearance and I will petition you for your conduct,” he fumed.
Adeyanju was among Ijele’s legal team in court to argue the bail application of their client, who was arrested and detained since March 20, 2024, for alleged criminal intimidation, threat to life, cyberstalking and cyberbullying against Ebuka Obi’s Zion Prayer Ministries Movement Outreach.
