A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital, has sent Barr. Inibehe Effiong to one month imprisonment over unruly and contemptuous behaviour. 

Barr. Effiong was appearing as counsel for Leo Ekpenyong who is being dragged to the court by Governor Udom Emmanuel over alleged defamation.

Barr Leo Ekpenyong had accused Governor Udom Emmanuel of bribing the Chairman of the 2019 Election Petition Tribunal in the state, Justice WO Akanbi with $1.4million to secure victory for Sen. Chris Ekpenyong against Senator Godswill Akpabio of the APC.

Justice Ekaette Obot ordered that Inibehe Effiong use the correctional facility to purge himself of insolence and uncouth acts that tend to bring the court to disrepute.

The Court was entertaining the last witness brought by the prosecution counsel, when Inibehe Effiong put up some discouraging attitude.

It began when Saviour Imukudo, a reporter with Premium Times was caught video recording the session with his mobile phone.

The phone was confiscated and the reporter ordered to leave the courtroom by the judge.

Inibehe insisted that the judge should rule on a motion he had earlier moved, for the judge to recuse self from the case.

Justice Ekaette Obot insisted on going on with the case, prompting Inibehe to start accusing her of bias and unfair handling of the case.

Barr Effiong had despite repeated warnings from the State Chief Judge, constantly raise his voice against the Judge alleging that she was taking the matter personal and also queried her decision to send the journalist out of the courtroom.

When the judge ordered Barr Inibehe to take off his wig and leave the bar, he also refused and maintained his stance.

The obviously furious judge accused Inibehe of overstepping his bounds and promptly sentenced him to 30 days in the Nigeria Correctional Facility.

Speaking on the decision of the court, Counsel to the Plaintiff, 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.”

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.

“A lawyer should not allow himself to use one client to destroy his reputation before all the judges.

“I think Justice Obot has really been patient with him all these while,even as a lawyer, I could not tolerate the young lawyer’s conduct”. Barr Ikpo stated.