Judge jails rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong in Uyo

Akwa Ibom Chief Judge Ekaette Obot has ‘convicted’ a human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong for defending his client in a suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel.

The Lagos-based lawyer revealed this in a tweet on Wednesday.

“I have been sent to Uyo prison by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, for one month for defending Leo Ekpenyong in a libel suit filed by Governor Udom Emmanuel,” Mr Effiong said.

Emmanuel had sued Ekpenyong, a lawyer, for defamation of character over a publication in which he accused the governor of “buying judgment” from the 2019 National Assembly Election Tribunal.

Giving details of his ordeal, Effiong further tweeted, “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 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.”