An Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan has summoned the medical doctor in Agodi Custodian centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service to appear before it today over a matter that bothers on the health status of a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, also known as Auxiliary.
Hearing of a case involving Auxiliary was stalled yesterday due to his absence when the case came up in court.
It was gathered that although the former Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) was earlier in Court, he could not attend his session due to alleged health related issues.
The Nation reports that the matter was adjourned to January 20 and 21 by the trial Judge, Justice Adetujoye, Presiding over Court 11, Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan.
It was gathered that the Defendant had arrived the court earlier, looking fine and okay as other cases were being heard.
The court rose for a few minutes before the Auxiliary case would come up.
However, while waiting for the court to resume, things took a different turn as it was noticed that the Correctional Centre officers who brought him in the morning and some people gathered around him with snippets filtering around that the former PMS boss was not feeling too well.
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A source who was privy to the incident told The Nation anonymously: “The matter was slated for 11AM but after some court sessions, the court rose and came back around 12pm. However, before the Judge would resume into the session, we noticed that the Correctional Centre officers who brought him in the morning and some people gathered around him and we heard them saying Auxiliary is not feeling too well.
“Some people were pouring water on his head while some others were applying ‘Aboniki’ balm on his legs. What we noticed was that, after some time, the Correctional Centre officers called their boss at Agodi. They brought their vehicle and he was assisted by officials of the Correctional service, his children and friends and he was taken out of the court.
“But, what we were told was that, when he got outside, he actually walked with his legs to the car. It was shocking.”
It was further gathered that tempers rose when the judge came into the court, everyone announced their appearance, and Defence (Auxiliary’s) Counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN addressing the court, said he learnt that Auxiliary took ill.
Surprised, the Judge was said to have asked the Prosecutor if they were aware of the development.
Appearing for state are O.S Tella, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, O. A Bolarinwa Senior State Counsel and F.F Gbadamosi.
Responding, the Lead Prosecutor, O.S. Tella told the Judge about what she knew about the whole incident, as could be seen in the open court.
The situation drew the anger of the Presiding judge who said even if they would take him (Auxiliary) out of the court, he was supposed to be told.
The court insisted that, even if at all he (Auxiliary) took ill, one of the officials of the NCoS would have come to inform him of the real position of things.
In their separate submissions before the court, both the state Counsel and Defence Counsel could not give a tangible explanation of what actually happened, which drew more anger from the judge.
Ruling, the court adjourned the matter till tomorrow (Wednesday), noting that, by then the true situation about his health status would have been ascertained.
Also, the court added that if eventually the Defendant is confirmed to be ill, the court would pick another date for hearing of the matter.
