A mild drama unfolded at the Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court, Abuja, during the bail hearing of social media influencer and blogger, Ofoegbu Chukwuma, popularly known as Ijele, on Wednesday.
Rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, threatened to file a petition against the police counsel, B.N Ezala, who is the prosecutor in Ijele’s case, for allegedly having a secret meeting with the presiding magistrate, Emmanuel A. Iyanna.
The hearing, which was previously stalled due to the court not sitting, took a contentious turn when Ezala arrived at the court premises and reportedly had a private meeting with the magistrate, leaving the defense lawyers waiting in the courtroom.
Adeyanju, upon learning of this meeting, confronted Ezala, accusing her of unethical conduct.
He expressed his displeasure, stating that it was improper for the prosecution to engage in a secret meeting with the trial judge before the commencement of proceedings.
“The matter is already before court, and since you have admitted that you are a lawyer and you went to see the ‘judge?’ No problem, come and announce appearance, and I will petition you for your conduct,” Adeyanju stated.
Ijele has been in detention since March 20, 2024, over alleged criminal intimidation, threats to life, cyber-stalking, and cyber-bullying against Evangelist Ebuka Obi of the Zion Prayer Ministry Movement Outreach.
The situation highlights the complexities and tensions often present in legal proceedings involving high-profile cases and public figures.
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