Mid-West Bar Forum, NBA Asaba, Call On Delta COP To Publish Apology To Delta CJ, Judge Of High Court 4, Asaba, For Deliberately Disrupting Court Sitting

The Mid-West Bar Forum And the Nigerian Bar Association, Asaba Branch have jointly reacted to the recent clash between the convoy of the new Delta State Police Commissioner and the Judiciary Staff and Lawyers at High Court No. 4, Asaba, on Wednesday, 15th January, 2020 which disrupted the proceedings of the court that day.

In a joint press statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL), the duo condemned The emerging new trend of assault by security agencies on the judiciary. It call on the Delta State Police Commissioner to immediately cause to be published, a Statement conveying the apology of the Delta State Police Command and the Divisional Police Officer, Asaba, to the Chief Judge of Delta State and the Presiding Judge of High Court No. 4, Asaba.

Below read the press statement

Following news reports on the recent clash between the convoy of the new Delta State Police Commissioner and the Judiciary Staff and Lawyers at High Court No. 4, Asaba, on Wednesday, 15th January, 2020, the Chairman of the Mid-West Bar Forum and the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Asaba branch, decided to pay official visits to Hon. Justice F.N. Azinge, the Presiding Judge of High Court No. 4 Asaba and the Chief Judge of Delta State to determine the true facts of what transpired, the result of which is as stated below:

1. The new Delta State Commissioner of Police wanted to pay a courtesy call on H.R.M., The Asagba of Asaba.
2. The Palace of the Asagba of Asaba can be accessed through three separate tarred roads.
3. The advance team of the Commissioner of Police headed by the Divisional Police Officer of the Police  ‘A’ Division,  Asaba, decided to drive through Ezenei Street which is situate at Umuezei Village and which is usually blocked during Court Sessions to prevent motorists driving past High Court No 4. which is the Court designated for trial of Criminal cases, such as Armed Robbery, Murder and Kidnap cases.
4. The road was blocked with a notice boldly written “COURT IN SESSION”, because the Criminal Court was in Session with criminal accused persons awaiting trial brought by the Prison Officials, all sitting in Court.
5. The siren blaring convoy of the Commissioner of Police headed by the Divisional Police Officer, defied and overpowered the Court Staff and dismantled the road block, forcing His Lordship to stop Court proceedings, rise and retire into Chambers.
6. When the commotion subsided, His Lordship came out to continue with Court proceedings, but the Commissioner of Police and his convoy returned through the same route blaring the siren and this time the Lawyers decided to form a human shield to prevent a repeat of what transpired, but were overpowered by the heavily armed Policemen and a female Police officer upon seeing that one of the fully robed Lawyers was recording the incident with his GSM phone, walked up to him and slapped him.
7. The Court had to rise again because the Court proceedings were disrupted twice and deliberately.  His Lordship who was visibly shaken made frantic phone calls to the Hon. Chief Judge of Delta State and was directed by His Lordship to put up her complaint in writing which she did.
8. The Hon. Chief Judge consequently summoned the Commissioner of Police and the latter came and explained to the Chief Judge that the fault was that of his Divisional Police Officer A Division, Asaba.
9. Neither the Commissioner of Police nor the Divisional Police Officer have issued any statement to apologise to His Lordship, the Presiding Judge of High Court 4, Asaba, for the incident.
10. The Police officer who slapped Counsel has equally not apologised to the latter whom we learnt has consequently filed a suit claiming damages.

Going by this new trend of invasion of Law Courts to arrest and obstruct the due administration of justice by Security Agencies, as has recently occurred with the unlawful arrest of the N.B.A. Sapele Branch Chairman at the Effurun High Court premises,  the unlawful arrest of Sowore of Sahara Reporters inside the High Court and the arrest of a Legal Practitioner for issuing a Quit Notice to a Tenant, it may now get to a situation where Security Agents who  have the public duty to protect our Judicial Officers and assist in the enforcement of Judgments of our Law Courts will begin to invade our Law Courts to arrest our Judges themselves while sitting in the Law Courts.

TAKE NOTICE THEREFORE that the Chairman of the Mid-West Bar Forum and Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Asaba branch, on behalf of the Mid-West Bar Forum and the Nigerian Bar Association, Asaba branch, by way of this joint Statement, hereby condemn in its entirety, the above brazen and deliberate disruption of the Sitting of the High Court of Justice, by the convoy of the Commissioner of Police  Delta State, led by the Divisional Police Officer A Division,  Asaba and consequently call upon the Delta State Police Commissioner to immediately cause to be published,  a Statement conveying the apology of the Delta State Police Command and the above Divisional Police Officer,  to the Chief Judge of Delta State and the Presiding Judge of High Court No. 4, Asaba.

SIGNED:

CHIKE ONYEMENAM SAN,  FREDDIE T. ERULI-EDE, ESQ.,

CHAIRMAN (MWBF)      CHAIRMAN N.B.A. ASABA BRANCH