Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo, the state capital has ordered a popular human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong to be remanded in jail for one month over contemptuous and insulting behaviour in court.
Justice Ekaette Obot ordered that Effiong should use the correctional facility to purge himself of insolence and dishonourable acts that tend to bring the court to disrepute.
The court had sat in the case of libel by Governor Udom Emmanuel against Mr Leo Ekpenyong.
Despite repeated warnings from the State Chief Judge, Effiong had constantly accused the judge of being biased, asking her to excuse herself from handling the case.
Speaking on the decision of the court, Counsel to Governor Emmanuel, Samuel Ikpo said he was shocked that a lawyer could utter such damning and profane utterances against a judge.
“I believe that when he comes out of the correctional facility, he will learn how to conduct himself before a court. A lawyer should not allow himself to use one client to destroy his reputation before all the judges,” Ikpo said.
He wondered why Inibehe could disobey an order given to him by the judge, who asked him to take off his wig and step aside from the bar and he choose to remain obstinate.
