Lawyer’s bag stolen in court during Justice Ademola’s trial

Acounsel representing a senior lawyer charged alongside Justice Adeniyi Ademola told an FCT High Court his bag was stolen Tuesday, inside the court while trial was going on.

Barrister Jeph Njikonye, who is the counsel for the third defendant, Joe Agi (SAN), stated that he kept the bag by his seat in the courtroom when the court went on a short break but could not find it when he returned.

He said all his documents, phones and other relevant items in the bag had gone, saying, “I had to even beg for money to pay for my parking ticket.”

He said he reported the matter to the security unit of the high court in order to check the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) for a possible clue, but discovered the CCTVs were not working.

He added that he also reported the incident at the Maitama police station at about 7:30 pm on Tuesday only for someone to call his wife later, asking him to come and collect his thoroughly ransacked bag at Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.

The prosecution counsel, Barrister Segun Jegede, had earlier informed the court that he could not find his wig where he had placed it before the commencement of sitting Wednesday. The wig was later returned by a female lawyer who said she found it in her bag alongside her own wig.

Reacting to these developments, the trial judge, Justice Okeke said such incidents should not be happening in the court, which is “a temple of justice which is like a church that ought to be safe and secured.” He threatened to summarily deal with anybody found stealing in his courtroom.