Members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin branch, Edo State, have begun indefinite boycott of High Court 6, Benin, presided over by Justice Helen Adesuwa Courage-Ogbebor, over alleged high-handedness, insubordination and being disrespectful.
NBA, Benin branch, through its Chairman, Pius Oiwoh and Secretary, Andrew Lawani, yesterday in a statement in Benin said the decision to boycott Justice Courage-Ogbebor’s court was taken on Monday evening at the monthly meeting of the Lion Bar (Benin branch) at the Bar House Complex, Benin.
The lawyers’ crucial meeting was also attended by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), benchers, elders and leaders of the bar, with the general house reviewing the complaints of lawyers against the female judge, described as the second of such review within a period of two months by the general house, against Justice Courage-Ogbebor.
The Benin branch of the NBA said: “With regard to the incessant harassment, intimidation, outright insult and deliberate embarrassment to counsel appearing before the lordship, including SANs and very senior members of the bar, in the presence of clients and would-be clients, we resolved unanimously to immediately and totally commence an indefinite boycott of High Court 6, High Court of Justice, Benin City, presided over by the Hon. Justice Courage-Ogbebor.”
“Consequently, all members of the Benin Bar are by this notice directed to embark on a total boycott of the said court and are not permitted to carry out any business in the said court, till a subsequent review of this directive by the general meeting.
“Take notice that any member who flouts this directive, under any guise, shall be liable to be blacklisted at the branch and made to face its disciplinary committee.”
Judges are barred from speaking with reporters or reacting to allegations levelled against them.
The Chief Registrar of Edo State High Court, Benson Osawaru, did not pick his calls and had not replied the SMS sent to his line, to get his reaction to the lawyers’ boycott of Justice Courage-Ogbebor’s court.
Our reporter also gathered from some senior lawyers in Benin that there had been complaints from lawyers about the activities of Justice Courage-Ogbebor, including a situation where she recently delayed a SAN, while instructing him to wait till the end of the sitting, which they said was against the normal practice.
The displeased lawyers reiterated that once SANs were in the court, no matter how many they were, they would first be attended to, as a mark of honour and respect for them, saying Justice Courage-Ogbebor was always treating SANs with disdain.
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