Rivers State Judiciary Faults NBA on Port Harcourt Lawyer Jailed for Contempt
The Rivers State Judiciary has backed Justice Chinwendu Nworgu of the State High Court for remanding a lawyer identified as Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin to three days in prison for contempt during a court proceeding.
The Chief Registrar of the High Court of Rivers State, David D. Ihua-Maduenyi, Esq said the Rivers State Judiciary is compelled to make the rejoinder to the national leadership of the NBA regarding the incident involving the learned counsel in suit before Hon. Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of the High Court of Rivers State.
The NBA had in a press statement titled: Judges Must Not Bully Lawyers Or Abuse Power To Punish For Contempt As a Tool For Intimidation Of Lawyers over an matter of contempt of court by Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin In Suit No. PHC/301/2016, criticised the Judge and demanded for the immediate release of the affected lawyer.
The NBA also demanded that the Hon. Chief Judge of Rivers State immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and take appropriate administrative action and that appropriate disciplinary steps be taken by the National Judicial Council, where necessary.
The body of lawyers in Nigeria criticised the remand of Mrs. Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin under the circumstances and urged all NBA branches in Rivers State and all legal practitioners boycott the proceedings before the Court of Hon. Justice Nwogu for a period of 7 days if Mrs. Lovinah Ugbana Benjamin was not released within 24 hours.
However, Chief Registrar of the High Court of Rivers State, David D. Ihua-Maduenyi Esq, said to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Court, which the said Learned Counsel treated with clear and brazen contempt, the Court after following due process, convicted her for contempt and sentenced her to prison for three days only, instead of the three months statutory term due to passionate plea from the Bar.
The statement revealed that the suggestion of the NBA National in paragraph 10 of the Press Release under reference that "where a court considers counsel's conduct improper, the proper course is to invoke recognised disciplinary mechanisms, including referring counsel to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), rather than resorting to summary punitive measures is not an invariable rule.