The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, on Wednesday in Lagos docked a lawyer, litigant and court registrar, over alleged contempt of court.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the three persons were discussing loudly in front of Auta’s courtroom while proceedings were going on.
The judge, who was being addressed by a lawyer, stopped the proceedings abruptly and summoned the alleged offenders into his court.
When the trio came into the courtroom, Auta ordered them to stand at a corner, as he continued with the proceedings.
At the end of the proceedings, he asked the alleged offenders to step into the dock and rebuked them for making noise in front of a courtroom.
He said: “It is very unfortunate that a lawyer and a registrar will engage a litigant in a discussion right in front of my court.
“This nonchalant behaviour should not come from people like you, especially you, a court registrar, who knows the rules of court.
“The court is a place where silence must be maintained at all times.
“I wonder what you expect law school students on attachment in my court to emulate from you.”
However, Auta later discharged them and warned them not to do such a thing again.
The judge also advised the law school students to desist from such an act, which he described as contemptuous.
He also charged them to be studious to be able excel in their examinations.
NAN reports that the lawyer, clerk and litigant apologised to the court and stepped out of the dock soberly.