Admin l Tuesday, August 16, 2022
AKWA IBOM, Uyo, Nigeria – Human rights activists, Femi Falana (SAN) has filed an originating summons before a Federal High Court, Uyo, seeking to enforce the fundamental rights of jailed activist lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.
Effiong was sentenced to one month imprisonment on July 27 by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot for contempt of court.
Justice Obot is the sole defendant in the application. In the suit, marked FHC/117/FHR/170/22, filed August 15 alongside an application for accelerated hearing, the applicant is asking the court for an order directing the respondent, Justice Obot to furnish the applicant a copy of the judgment delivered July 27.
Other lawyers representing the applicant include Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, the first Vice of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) John Aikpokpo-Martins, Chairman NBA-SPIDEL, Dr Monday Ubani, NBA Welfare Secretary, Olakunle Edun, Funmi Falana, Femi Aborishade, Taiwo Olawanle, Nsikak Akai, Augustine Asuquo, S.M. Oyeghe, E.E. Phillips and Joseph Eleh.
Inibehe Effiong, in the application, is asking the court for a declaration that he is entitled to a copy of the judgment of Akwa lbom State High Court presided over by the defendant and who jailed him on July 27.
The applicant further prayed the court for a declaration that the refusal of the respondent to make a copy of the judgment available to him since July 27, despite repeated applications, is illegal and unconditional and violation of section 36(7) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
The reliefs were sought on three grounds including fundamental rights of fair hearing guaranteed under section 36 of the constitution, that the refusal of the respondent to avail him the opportunity to appeal against the judgment among others.
In a five paragraphs affidavit deposed to by the secretary in the chamber of Effiong, Miss Aniema Akpan said that the refusal by the respondent to furnish the applicant with a copy of the judgment 14 days after his conviction in spite of his application for same dated July 29 is prejudicial to his fundamental rights to fair hearing.
