The judge reportedly narrated to the open court how a counsel, Barrister B.C. Awang made an attempt to solicit his favour in a matter with suit No. PLD/J602/2021 between Gabriel Sunday Badung and 20 others (complainants) and Comr Samson Makims and others (Defendants).
The judge said he was surprised to see the counsel visiting him in the night.
When the matter came up for a continuation of hearing on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, and the counsels announced appearance, the judge said, “I wish to inform the counsel and parties in court that yesterday night between 7 and 8, one Barrister B.C. Awang (Mrs) came to my house along with one of the claimants in this case to see me in respect of the case.
“They came along with a gift for me. I was seriously disturbed by the said unsolicited visit. I asked why would they pay such a visit on me base on a case before me.
“According to the said Barrister B.C. Awang, the visit was in respect of a motion exparte pending before me. This visit was uncalled for, unprofessional of a counsel and I felt it was an attempt to solicit favour(s) from me.
“I am deeply annoyed by the said visit and this has affected my mind frame with regards to handling this matter. I have said this in the open court and I am returning the case file to the Hon Ag. Chief Judge of the state for him to re-assign the case to another judge for trial.
“This is to ensure that my anger over the visit to my house will undermine the trial of this case.
Accordingly, I hereby return the case file as stated above and the same is to be forwarded forward with by the registrar of this Court for further directives of the Hon. Ag Chief Judge.”
