Lawyer docked for allegedly calling judge, police prosecutor “criminals”

A lawyer, Ifeanyichukwu Igwe, was on Monday brought before a Magistrates’ Court in Minna, for allegedly calling a judge and a police prosecutor criminals.
Igwe was docked on a three-count charge of criminal intimidation, refusing to answer public servant authorised to question and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.
The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Emmanuel Ogiri, had told the court that the matter was referred from the Commissioner of Police for investigation on January 14.
Ogiri said that accused who works with Ascended Law Chamber, Minna, threatened the life of one Insp. John Adache and those of his family.
The prosecutor said that the threat to life was contained in a text message the accused sent to the inspector at about 5:30pm on Dec. 25, 2018.
He noted that the accused was invited by the police, but he blatantly refused to honor the invitation.
According to him, the accused instead went to Gwada Magistrate’s Court, where the police inspector worked as a prosecutor with the aim of fighting him, but he was not there.
Ogiri alleged that the accused insulted the presiding Magistrate, Gimba Isah, saying that he and the inspector were criminals.
He said the offences contravened Sections 397, 142 and 399 of the penal code law.
The accused however pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to the accused, Mr A.A Mbachu prayed the court to grant his client bail in line with Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Mbachu said his client would not jump bail and promised that he would appear in court at every adjourned date.
The Magistrate, Paul Adama, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million and a surety in like sum, saying that the surety must be a civil servant in the state.
Adama ruled that the surety must not below grade level 15 adjourned the matter until June 11. (NAN)