By Agba Jalingo

Fact file: It’s on record that this is the only case in Nigeria since the country was amalgamated in 1914, that an open court granted leave for secret trial and a “masquerade”, masked from head-to-toes, appeared from the Judge’s chamber, walked into the witness box to testify against yours sincerely.

Six more of those masked witnesses were also listed to testify against me.

Two wooden poles were erected in the witness box of the High Court 2′ and covered with a black cloth to veil the masked witness and prevent even my lawyers or me from seeing whoever it was.

The judge had already cleared the court room of everyone, including the correction officers that brought me to court from prison, the press, the two court duty police officers, even members of the bar, and left only my police prosecutor, Denis Terhember, a DSS female operative, himself, me and the masquerade.

The correction officers made a feeble resistance, telling the judge that their rules require that their inmate must always be within their sight but they were ordered out and threatened that their boss will be called to reprimand them.

My legal team led by Adeyinka Fusika, SAN and ably assisted by our State former Attorney General, Attah Ochinke, James Ibor, First Baba Isa, and co, walked out and refused to be part of a “secret trial.”

That didn’t stop the judge. He asked me to defend myself. I couldn’t because I am not a lawyer.

It’s a long story. I was eventually granted bail by another judge who did not want any secret trial and a third judge has now taken over and I will be appearing before her Lordship for the third time on Monday, March 21, to take a new plea.

Citizen Agba Jalingo is a seasoned Nigerian investigative journalists and human rights/political activist.

Source: StreetReporters.ng