Judge Fines Evans' Lawyer 20,000 For 'professional Misconduct'
Ogungbeje was fined for professional misconduct as he failed to show up for the fundamental rights suit filed on behalf of Evans by him, over alleged illegal detention and instead sent Stephen Abunike, a litigation officer from his law firm, who told the court that his principal was indisposed and had written a letter seeking an adjournment.
According to him, it is an ?affront? to the court for Ogungbeje not to send another lawyer to stand in for him.
?In view of this, we are of the view that the applicant?s counsel is most unserious with this application. We, therefore, ask for a punitive cost of N100,000 against the applicant and his counsel,? he said.
?Counsel wrote a letter seeking for an adjournment without copying the prosecution. This, to me, is unprofessional. The court hereby warns counsel to desist from such type of practice.?
The judge further warned Ogunbeje to desist from practices unbecoming of a legal practitioner. He also said the facts before him showed that Evans was still in police custody.
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