Lawyers Begin Boycott Of Edo High Court 6 Over Judge’s Alleged High Handedness, Impudence
The Benin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Tuesday made good its threat as it began a boycott of the Benin High Court 6, presided over by Justice Courage Ogbebor, over her alleged high handedness and impudence to the members of the bar.
The Benin NBA, had on Monday took a resolution to boycott Justice Ogbebor court, premising their action on the litany of complaints from both senior and junior lawyers over the justice’s attitudes to the lawyers, a situation whicj came to a head, when Ogbebor was alleged to have delayed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN),in her court, instructing him to wait till the end of the sitting.
“It is against our practice as once a SAN is in the court, no matter how many they are, they are attended to first but she kept this SAN till the end of her sitting,” a lawyer told journalists in Benin.
In a statement released to journalists on Tuesday by the chairman and Secretary of the branch, Pius Oiwoh and Andrew Lawani, respectively, the lawyers said “At the monthly meeting of the Lion Bar held on the 1st day of August ,2021 at the Bar House Complex, Benin City and attended by SANs, Benchers, elders and leaders of the bar, the general house after reviewing the various complaints of lawyers (the 2nd such review within a period of two (2) months by the general house) with regards to the incessant and un-abating harassment, intimidation, outright insults and deliberate embarrassment to counsel appearing before his lordship including SANs and very senior members of the bar, in the presence of clients and would be clients, resolved unanimously to immediately and totally commence an indefinite boycott of high court 6, high court of justice, Benin City presided over by the Hon. Justice Courage Ogbebor.
“Consequently, all members of the Benin Bar are by this notice directed to embark on a total boycott of the said court and are not permitted to carry out any business in the said court till a subsequent review of this directive by the general meeting.
“Take notice that any member who flouts this directive under any guise shall be liable to be blacklisted at the branch and made to face its disciplinary committee”, the statement directed.
Efforts to contact the Registrar, Edo State High Court, Benson Osawaru, were unsuccessful as he neither responded to the Short Messaging Service, SMS, sent to his mobile phone, nor picked the calls made to the same phone.
Source: Tribune
