The claim, Thursday, by a judge of the Federal High Court,
Okon Abang, that he and the spokesperson of the Peoples
Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, may not be classmates, is
false, checks by PREMIUM TIMES have shown.
Justice Abang had, during a hearing of the case between
Mr. Metuh and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, rejected claims by Mr. Metuh’s lawyers that
he and the PDP spokesman were classmates at the
Nigerian Law School.
A counsel to Mr. Metuh, Emeka Etiaba, had written to the
Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta,
demanding that the corruption case be withdrawn from Mr.
Abang and assigned to another judge.
In the petition, Mr. Etiaba said Mr. Metuh feared he might
not get justice from Mr. Abang, being a former classmate
and based on what he knew as the judge’s position on the
matter and himself.
The lawyer said the PDP spokesperson informed his legal
team that sometime late last year, when he met the judge
at an occasion at the Le Meridian Hotel, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom
State, “he was baffled at Justice Abang’s views and when
eventually the charge against him was assigned to his
court this January, (a few weeks later), he got worried
because he feared that he may not get justice in his
court.”
Justice Okon Abang
Justice Okon Abang
Speaking on the letter, Justice Abang told the team of
lawyers before him that “are you aware that after eight
witnesses were called by the prosecution, and the court
gave its ruling on an application of no-case submission by
the defence, that Mr. Emeka Etiaba wrote the registrar to
the Chief Justice of the Court, asking that this case be
transferred to another judge?”.
According to the judge, the reason given by Mr. Etiaba for
the request of transfer of the case was that he (the judge)
gave certain interlocutory judgements in favour of the
prosecution, and that he (Mr. Abang) was Mr. Metuh’s
former classmate.
Justice Abang added, “I am not aware that the first
defendant was my classmate, he said he is my
classmate.”
However, checks by PREMIUM TIMES showed that both
Messrs. Metuh and Abang were called to the Bar on the
same day and were both members of the Nigerian Law
School class of 1988.
Mr. Metuh’s call-to-bar certificate showed that he was
called to the Nigerian Bar on November 3, 1988.
Also, the profile of Justice Abang, as posted on the website
of the Federal High Court indicated that he was called to
the bar on November 3, 1988.
As at 1988, there was only one law school in Nigeria,
located in Victoria Island, Lagos. All lawyers seeking to
practice law in Nigeria at that time attended the school.
The controversy over whether the judge and Mr. Metuh
were classmates did not come up suddenly in open court.
A petition was sent to the Chief Judge, through which that
claim was made.
The petition was brought to the judge’s attention.
Some lawyers told PREMIUM TIMES that Justice Abang
should have made enquiry to determine if indeed Mr. Metuh
was his classmate before raising the matter in open court.
“He had time and opportunity to crosscheck the claim
before the court hearing,” one lawyer said. “He cannot be
excused for saying he was not aware he was classmate of
the PDP spokesman.”
Justice Abang however denied he had been biased against
Mr. Metuh, saying the court approved three adjournments
at the request of the defence.
He also denied the claim that Mr. Metuh was denied copies
of the court’s ruling.
“The secretary will type and the court will proofread about
four times,” said Justice Abang, explaining why copies of a
ruling he gave was not ready before Thursday for both
parties.
Mr. Abang said despite the “unprofessional” conduct of Mr.
Etiaba, he would abide by the directives from the National
Judicial Council which directs judges in such
circumstances to continue to handle cases until the chief
judge takes a decision on such petitions.
He therefore adjourned the case to March 23, 2016.
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