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There was a mild drama yesterday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) sitting in Abuja. The chairman, Danladi Umar, ordered a counsel to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Raphael Oluyede, out of the courtroom.It is in this light that we will brings to you the altercation that ensued between the tribunal chairman and Saraki’s lawyer.
Oluyede:: My lord, it is your power, I am just saying that when an application is filed, the judge has a duty to look at it and say his mind; he can rule on it
Umar: When he filed that application as a busy body, I was not informed. Please let us continue the cross-examination.
Oluyede: My lord
Umar: Sit down
Oluyede:: Your lordship
Umar: I say sit down, I am talking to you
Oluyede:: I am counsel in this matter
Umar: I say sit down
Oluyede:: I will not be intimidated in the temple of justice. You have shady relationship with the EFCC. That is why we want you to recuse yourself.
Umar: I will commit you for contempt if you continue to speak to me this way.
Oluyede:: You will commit me to contempt for doing my job. There are too many shady relationships you have with EFCC.
Umar: I say sit down. Where are the policemen?
Oluyede:: I am a counsel in this matter.
It was at that point that Umar called for police officers to walk Oluyede out of the courtroom, but for the intervention of the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, who pleaded with the tribunal.
The police had, however, made an attempt to walk Oluyede out of the court when he (Oluyede) eventually sat down. Oluyede had, however, on Wednesday filed an application seeking the disqualification of the chairman of the tribunal from further presiding over the trial on ground of alleged bias.
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