A prosecuting counsel for the EFCC (names withheld) has reportedly attempted to influence a Federal High Court Judge sitting in Ibadan, Hon Justice Joyce Obehi AbdulMalik.
TheNigerialawyer reported that during court sitting on Tuesday, October 08, 2019, the Judge had called out the EFCC counsel in open court and accused the counsel of visiting her in the judge’s house in an attempt to influence her on a case currently before the judge.
The judge was said to have berated such as conduct unbecoming of legal practitioner.
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kunle Edun, has, however, reacted to the report, commending Honourable Justice ABDULMALIK for upholding judicial integrity, sword of justice and legal ethics. The terse statement by the NBA is titled, “ANOTHER RIGHTEOUS JUDGE IN IBADAN,” and reads:
NBA COMMENDS HON. JUSTICE MALIK OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT, IBADAN FOR REFUSING TO BE INFLUENCED BY EFCC. PLS LET US KEEP EXPOSING AGENTS OF THE STATE THAT ARE DESTROYING THE NATION’S JUSTICE SYSTEM. Signed: KUNLE EDUN* National Publicity Secretary, NBA.
On their part, many lawyers, commenting on social media, have poured encomium on the judge.
While some have described her as woman of integrity who has demonstrated that she cannot be bought over, some others tagged her “The Pride of the Nigerian Bench.” Some others extolled her actions as a demonstration that all hope is not lost for the legal profession in Nigeria.
Some lawyers called on the NBA to look into the matter in the national interest.
While reacting to the report, Sylvester Udemezue, a Law Teacher, legal analyst, rule of law advocate and public affairs commentator, also commended the affected judge and expressed happiness that with people like Hon Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, there’s hope for the Bar and Bench in Nigeria.
