By Robert Egbe
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday abruptly adjourned the alleged card fraud trial of musician Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley, following a heated exchange between lawyers over a shortage of seats.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo was forced to adjourn proceedings in the tiny courtroom for 41 days when counsel exchanged words, including “irrelevant”, “bitter” and “condemned”.
The few seats in the courtroom are inadequate and most lawyers, litigants and journalists don’t often get even standing space when proceedings are on.
The judge declined to make any order regarding the dispute but appealed to the lawyers to bear with the government over inadequate courtroom space.
He fixed December 11 and 12 for continuation of trial.
The argument was between Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel Mr Rotimi Oyedepo on the one hand, Marley’s counsel Mr Olalekan Ojo SAN and two other lawyers on the other hand.
The incident occurred shortly after Ojo began cross examination of the EFCC’s first witness, Mr Nuru Buhari, who concluded his evidence on Wednesday.
Read Also: ‘Stolen credit card info found on Naira Marley’s laptop’
About one hour into the proceedings, Oyedepo, who had been outside, gained access to the packed courtroom with some difficulty, but could find no where to sit.
Ojo and his juniors sat in the front row, while other lawyers, waiting for their cases to be called, occupied other seats alongside some litigants, including a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Maurice Iwu.
Rotimi pleaded with the lawyers sitting on the same row as his EFCC team to temporarily give up their seats to him and another EFCC official, until the case was done for the day.
Only one of them did.
Rotimi announced his appearance to the judge and invited him to intervene, saying it was unfair that the defence team was all seated while a member of the prosecution team was on his feet.
The judge referred the request to Ojo, as being a Silk, Ojo could better “appeal to your colleagues”.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also declined. According to him, he could not “in good conscience” or as a matter of right ask lawyers, “some of whom are better than me, older than me at the Bar, to vacate their seats. My Silk rank is just a privilege.”
One suggested that Oyedepo was “not even up to 12 years at the Bar”, another, a lawyer with “30 years at the Bar”…”strongly condemned” the request.
The judge asked everyone to sheathe their swords, durecting Ojo to proceed with the cross examination.
Oyedepo apologised and tried to explain his comments.
The case was adjourned.
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