Two
lawyers, Mr. Dapo Agbede and Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, have accused the Ondo State
Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, of bias over a land dispute involving
members of one Olokunjuwon family before the court.
The
duo stormed out of the courtroom during the court proceedings on Friday at a High
Court in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after Justice Kumuyi, who presided over
the case, did not allow Ogele, who is the counsel for the claimant, to have
access to the record of proceedings of the court, having been recently retained
by the claimant.
During
the proceeding, Ogele, appearing in suit no Ak/173/2012, prayed the court to
allow him have access to the record of proceedings so as to allow him to give
proper representation to his client.
He
also sought for an order compelling the registrar of the court to produce the
certified true copy of the record of proceedings in the case to the new
counsel.
Ogele
said the case was initially handled by another lawyer, who discontinued his
appearance after he was not paid.
Ogele
stated that since he took over the legal representation, efforts to get the
record of proceedings from the officials of the court had proved abortive.
Agbede
also supported the motion of Ogele, saying the new counsel would not be able to
give proper legal representation without the record of proceedings.
The
counsel to the second, third and fourth defendants, Adetunji Oso and Ola
Olawale, said the court should use its discretion.
Justice
Kumuyi refused to grant the request of Ogele and Agbede.
The
lawyers told the judge that they would not be able to proceed with the case
because the refusal of the application would deny the clients a fair hearing.
They
subsequently walked out of the courtroom with their clients, leaving the judge
on her seat.
Source:The
Punch
Tags
Politics