A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered a lawyer, Orji Nwafor-Orizu to produce a medical report from a recognised government psychiatric hospital confirming that he is mentally stable to appear before the court.
Nwafor-Orizu is counsel representing Senator Osita Izunaso, the third defendant in the ongoing certificate of return suit filed by outgoing governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Igbere TV reports that Justice Okon Abang who issued the order on Friday, stressed that Nwafor-Orizu would not be accorded audience in court until he produced such report.
In addition, the court held that Orizu must equally enter an undertaken to be of good conduct throughout the hearing and conclusion of the matter, not just before the Federal High Court in Abuja, but before any other superior court of record.
Our correspondent reports that the order followed the conduct of Orizu at the resumption of hearing on Friday.
It all began when Orizu who was not in court when the case was called, walked in when counsel to the plaintiff, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) was already on his feet to address the court.
Meanwhile, in Orizu’s absence, another lawyer, S.N. Anichebe, had announced his appearance on behalf of Osita Izunaso.
But just as the plaintiff’s counsel was about to make his submissions, Orizu interrupted and insisted the court could not proceed with the matter claiming that he was in possession of an order of the Court of Appeal stopping proceedings.
While brandishing the alleged order of the Court of Appeal, Orizu shouted, “this court cannot sit on this matter. This matter cannot go on.”
The judge asked him to sit and allow Okorocha’s counsel to continue his argument but the lawyer insisted, saying; “the court will not proceed until my motion is heard”.
The judge warned that he was frustrating his proceedings and should desist from any further antics.
Following the warning, the judge rose for about five minutes and when he resumed, he asked the security personnel in the court to watch Nwafor-Orizu closely, saying he didn’t feel safe with him in court.
The judge said he felt unsafe because he was not sure of the mental state of the lawyer, adding that no sane lawyer would act in the manner he did since he had not announced himself on record and yet was insisting to be heard.
He asked the security personnel to be ready to remove him from the court should he display such conduct again, and that where he resisted, he should be arrested.
Justice Abang also sent for court’s doctor and informed her to be on standby as he might need to send a lawyer to her to ascertain the lawyer’s mental fitness.
In spite of pleas from Nwawuche, counsel to the second defendant that the court should pardon Nwafor-Orizu’s behavior, the judge said he would only acknowledge him after he presented a certificate of mental fitness.
