Trial judge Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Monday, exposed an attempt by a lawyer facing forgery charge before him to meet him privately in chambers.
Mr Onwuegbuzie, during Monday’s proceeding, openly questioned the lawyer, Victor Giwa, about the motive behind the requested private meeting.
|
|
“Is it a practice for a defendant to go and see a judge in his chamber when your case is before him?” Mr Onwuegbuzie asked.
Mr Giwa replied, “no,” after which the judge expressed shock over his conduct.
|
|
|
|---|
“It is shocking to hear that a defendant who has a matter before a judge has the tenacity to see a judge in his chamber,” Mr Onwuegbuzie said, warning that “this court will not tolerate that.”
Mr Giwa and another lawyer, Ibitade Bukola, are facing three counts, including forgery, before the judge.
The police accused the defendants of forging a letter on the purported letterhead of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Awa Kalu.
According to the indictment, Mr Giwa allegedly forged the letter purportedly appealing to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to stop his arraignment before Judge Samira Bature for an earlier case on 2 July 2024.
The forged letter was allegedly titled, ‘Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023’.
The indictment also accused both defendants with illegal eviction, criminal intimidation, threat to life, and damage to property worth N300 million.
The police arraigned them jointly in October 2025, when they both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
‘Unethical’
During Monday’s proceedings, the prosecution lawyer, T. Y. Silas, said Mr Giwa approached him regarding the proposed meeting with the judge.
But he said he declined the proposal because Mr Giwa allegedly refused to disclose the meeting’s purpose.
Mr Silas said the defendant’s behaviour was unethical and inappropriate.
Giwa defends action
However, Mr Giwa, defended his action.
He said both the prosecution and Ms Bukola’s lawyer had agreed to see the judge in the presence of the court registrar.
He said but 10 minutes later, the prosecution lawyer, Mr Silas, approached him asking the reason for the meeting. His refusal to disclose the purpose of the meeting prompted Mr Silas to change his mind.
The defendant said his actions were guided by the rules of ethics.
According to him, under the rules of professional conduct, one could “approach the court in the chambers by seeking a private audience with the judge” if such matters are considered private.
But the judge rejected Mr Giwa’s defence.
Trial stalled again
Later on Monday, Mr Giwa sought an adjournment due to the absence of his lawyer, Ibrahim Idris, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who was said to be recuperating from prostate surgery,
The prosecution lawyer, Mr Silas, objected to the call for adjournment, citing several instances of past adjournments at Mr Giwa’s instance. Mr Silas also said Monday’s hearing was equally scheduled at the instance of Mr Giwa.
The trial has stalled on different occasions as a result of the absence of the defendants or their lawyers from court. In May 2025, he cited the death of his sister as the reason for his absence.
In October 2025, one of the lawyers, Ogbu Aboje, informed the court that he was absent due to medical reasons.
The second defendant, Ms Bukola, was absent from proceedings at a point due to what she said to be her daughter’s immunisation appointment.
As a result, the court issued a bench warrant for the defendants’ arrest to compel them to appear for arraignment.
Also, in a separate criminal case before the High Court in Maitama, the judge, Samira Bature, warned Mr Giwa and others after his failure to appear in court for the sixth time.
Citing Mr Giwa’s track record, Mr Silas, on Monday, relying on Section 396(4) Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, told the court that parties were limited in the number of adjournments they could seek after arraignment.
He noted that Mr Giwa’s lawyer, being a SAN, ought to have junior lawyers available to represent him.
Mr Silas then urged the court to award costs against Mr Giwa for wasting “judicial time.”
But Mr Giwa insisted that he had not benefited from the adjournments and had a right to a lawyer of his choice. He tagged Mr Silas’ request as mischievous.
Ms Bukola’s lawyer, Ogbu Aboje, also urged the court to grant an adjournment.
The trial judge agreed with Mr Silas that Mr Giwa’s lawyer, as a SAN, ought to have another lawyer to represent him in court.
While characterising Mr Giwa’s excuse as unsatisfactory, the judge stated that the court would make every concession to ensure a fair and procedural outcome.
“It is pertinent to note the rigmarole that is going on here. We have no reason to adjourn this matter, but the court decided to bend back to accommodate the first defendant.
READ ALSO: N8.7bn Fraud Trial: Don’t try to approach me, judge warns EFCC, Malami, lawyers
“The first defendant came with a SAN and 13 advocates to represent him before, but today they are nowhere to be found. We want to fulfil all righteousness. This case is hereby adjourned to 21 January,” the judge said.
Monday’s proceedings came less than a week when another judge overseeing the N8.7 billion money laundering trial of former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami warned that no one connected with the case should attempt to approach him.
Judge Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued the warning while delivering his ruling on the bail application filed by Mr Malami and his co-defendants – one of his wives, Asabe Bashir, and son, Abdulaziz Malami.
“Irrespective of my familiarity with you, when I am dealing with any case, do not approach me. The law cannot be bent as far as this court is concerned,” the judge cautioned.
