"I Will Petition You": Deji Adeyanju Accuses Prosecutor of Secret Meeting with Judge in Ijele Case

"I Will Petition You": Deji Adeyanju Accuses Prosecutor of Secret Meeting with Judge in Ijele Case

  • Popular human rights activist Deji Adeyanju caused a scene in court on Wednesday when he confronted the prosecutor in the Ijele case
  • The lawyer challenged his counterpart as to why he would go on to see the judge after declaring that he was the prosecutor of the case, alleging possible misconduct
  • The legal practitioner threatened to file a petition against his colleague, as he could not understand what he was discussing with the judge behind closed doors

Chaos erupted on Wednesday, April 3, at the Wuse Zone 6 magistrate court, Abuja, during the bail hearing for social media influencer Ofoegbu Chukwuma, also known as Ijele.

Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju, representing Ijele, accused police prosecutor B.N. Ezala of unethical conduct for allegedly meeting privately with the presiding magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, before the proceedings began.

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Famous human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju as he got called to bar
Deji Adeyanju vowed to help financially incapable Nigerians fight for their rights without charging a dime Image: X/Omoyele Sowore
Source: Original

Ijele, arrested on March 20, 2024, is facing charges of criminal intimidation, threat to life, cyberstalking, and cyberbullying against Ebuka Obi's Zion Prayer Ministries Movement Outreach, according to the Guardian.

The bail application was scheduled for Wednesday after being stalled last week.

The drama unfolded when Ezala entered the court premises and headed straight for the magistrate's office while the defence lawyers, including Adeyanju, waited in the courtroom.

Upon seeing Ezala leaving the magistrate's chamber, a visibly fuming Adeyanju confronted the prosecutor, questioning the propriety of a private meeting before the hearing.

"The matter is already before the court," Adeyanju declared. "You admitted you're a lawyer and went to see the judge? No problem. Come and announce your appearance, and I will petition you for your conduct."

Activist Deji Adeyanju called to bar

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Meanwhile, as previously reported by Legit.ng, Adeyanju, a renowned human rights activist turned lawyer, had been called to the bar, positioning him in a better spot to wage war against what he sees as an unabated proliferation of illegal activities in Nigeria.

In a brief conversation with Legit.ng, the famous freedom fighter announced his intention to provide pro bono legal services to vulnerable Nigerians without financial means to seek legal justice.

The activist emphasized his goal of urging security agencies to consistently investigate allegations of corruption.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ibrahim Sofiyullaha avatar

Ibrahim Sofiyullaha (Editorial Assistant) Ibrahim Sofiyullaha is a graduate of First Technical University, Ibadan. He was the founder and pioneer Editor-in-Chief of a fast-rising campus journalism outfit at his university. Ibrahim is a coauthor of the book Julie, or Sylvia, written in collaboration with two prominent Western authors. He was ranked as the 9th best young writer in Africa by the International Sports Press Association. Ibrahim has contributed insightful articles for major platforms, including Sportskeeda in the UK and Motherly in the United States. Email: ibrahim.sofiyullaha@corp.legit.ng