Uyo prison rejects Sowore’s lawyer, Inibehe sentenced by Chief Judge
3 min read
Inibehe Effiong
The Uyo Correctional Centre has rejected a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong who was sentenced to one month imprisonment on Wednesday morning by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot without trial.
The prison authorities, according to Effiong, refused to incarcerate him, on grounds of Covid-19 protocols.
Newsband had earlier reported about the sentencing of Mr Effiong by the Chief Judge after he raised concern over the presence of two armed police men inside the courtroom during court proceedings.
Effiong while updating his current situation on Twitter said, “They’re saying that I can’t be jailed in Uyo prison because of COVID protocol, that I have to be in Ikot Ekpene prison. Uyo prison has rejected me.
“We are going back to the court now for His Lordship to determine where I should be jailed. History will vindicate the just.
“(I am) Inside van at Uyo prison waiting for the issue of custody to be determined, between Uyo or Ikot Ekpene prison. History will vindicate the just,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice on July 2, 2022 reportedly threatened to send Effiong, to prison in a suit in which Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State is a party.
The judge reportedly berated the counsel, who pleaded with the court to entertain his application which sought the judge’s withdrawal from the case after his client, Leo Ekpenyong, accused her of bias.
“I will send you out of there now, remove that robe and send you to prison by the time you go to the Court of Appeal and come back. What is this? You are overstepping your bounds,” Justice Obot reportedly out at Mr Effiong, according to a report by Premium Times.
Following Wednesday morning’s proceedings, the judge, according to Effiong in a statement sentenced him to one month without a trial.
“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.
“I obeyed. I informed the court that I was not feeling comfortable and safe having two armed mobile policemen seated inside the courtroom, that it was strange and that I felt unsafe. I applied for the judge to excuse the armed policemen from the courtroom.
“The Hon. Chief Judge then ordered me to step out of the Bar, that she was sending me to prison. She then ordered the policemen to take me to Uyo prison. And that I should be in jail for one month. I am waiting inside the courtroom for them to bring the conviction warrant.
“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.
“This is in the suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel against a lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong, for alleged defamation.”
