Confusion as ‘dead’ lawyer appears in Rivers court

Proceedings astatine a Magistrate Court successful Port Harcourt were concisely disrupted connected Thursday, March 11, 2026, aft the tribunal discovered that a lawyer who reportedly died successful December 2025 had been recorded arsenic appearing earlier it earlier this twelvemonth to grip a case.

The incidental came to airy erstwhile a substance was called for proceeding and the lawyer representing the litigant failed to look successful court.

Upon inquiry, the litigant informed the tribunal that his lawyer had died successful December, 2025.

The revelation near the presiding Senior Magistrate, Kingsley Briggs, visibly surprised, prompting him to reappraisal the court’s grounds book.

The records, however, indicated that the aforesaid lawyer had appeared earlier the tribunal during proceedings connected February 10, 2026, to correspond the litigant successful the matter.

Addressing the litigant, Magistrate Briggs recalled that the tribunal had considered issuing a seat warrant against him during the February sitting owed to his absence.

He explained that the warrant was not issued aft the lawyer pleaded that his lawsuit was sick and required aesculapian attention.

Based connected that submission, the tribunal granted an adjournment and fixed the lawsuit for March 11, 2026.

To clarify the situation, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Emmanuel John, Port Harcourt Branch, who was contiguous successful court, suggested contacting the deceased lawyer’s family.

A relative, who ...