Ladipo Sanusi/
Olukoya Ogungbeje, the lawyer who tried to set free the infamous billionaire kidnapper, has again been slammed with a fine for professional misconduct.
Ogungbeje, who had sued the police authorities over their continued detention of the suspected kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, was recently fined N500, 000 by a Federal High Court in Lagos for professional misconduct.
Today, Justice AbdulAziz Anka of a Federal High Court, in Lagos awarded a cost in the sum of N20,000, against Ogungbeje.
Besides that, the judge also warned that Ogungbeje should desist from acts unbecoming of a legal practitioner.
The court took the two actions during the hearing of what was supposed to be the fundamental rights suit filed by the lawyer on behalf of Evans.
He had filed the suit against the Inspector-General of Police demanding N300million, for what he termed as his ‘Illegal and unlawful detention’.
Newsmakersng learnt that the lawyer had written to the judge requesting for an adjournment. He claimed that he has been sick and needed to attend to his health.
But not well convinced by Ogungbeje’s claim, Justice Anka went ahead to award a punitive cost of N20,000 against him for what he described as unprofessional conduct.
While contending that Ogungbeje had written a letter to the Court asking for an adjournment on the reason of sickness, no copy of the said letter was sent to the police lawyer, Emmanuel Eze.
Justice Anka said, “It is unprofessional for a lawyer to communicate with a judge without carrying the other parties along.
“The Court has noted the conduct of counsel, who wrote to the court without copying other parties.
“This is unprofessional. The Court hereby warns the counsel to desist from such a conduct.”
The judge in a short ruling held that the punitive cost must be paid before the next adjourned date, adding that Ogungbeje would not be given audience if he fails to do so.
The matter has been adjourned till July 20, 2017.
Acting for Evans, Ogungbeje had in a fundamental rights enforcement action prayed the Court to issue an order directing the police to charge the suspect to court immediately or release him on bail if they are not ready to charge him to court.
Ogungbeje had insisted that the detention of Evans since June 10, 2017, without being charged to court was a violation of his fundamental rights enshrined in sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (b) and 36 of the Constitution.