The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Ekaette Obot, sentenced Effiong to one-month imprisonment on July 27, for alleged contempt of court after the lawyer objected to the presence of two armed police operatives inside the courtroom.
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong who was illegally imprisoned has been able to secure the release of 17 inmates of Uyo Custodial Centre in Akwa Ibom, following the expiration of his prison sentence.
The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Ekaette Obot, sentenced Effiong to one-month imprisonment on July 27, for alleged contempt of court after the lawyer objected to the presence of two armed police operatives inside the courtroom.
The human rights lawyer, who is also the National Legal Adviser of the African Action Congress (AAC), was in court to defend Leo Ekpenyong, a lawyer, in a libel suit filed by Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom.
The illegal imprisonment attracted condemnation from civil society organisations and many Nigerians.
On August 3, the Nigerian Bar Association said the lawyer was not given a fair hearing before he was sent to prison by the judge, and the organisation threatened to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the matter.
Speaking after stepping out of the prison around 8 am on Friday, Effiong condemned the criminal justice system of Nigeria.
The activist added that he secured the release of 17 inmates while in prison.
“I can announce to you that I have taken steps to secure the release of 17 inmates at the Uyo custodial centre, in fact, one left last night. The others would have come but you know the authorities were concerned that people were gathering so much outside the prison facility, so I couldn’t wait.
“I was supposed to come out with them. We had to spend a significant amount of money to make that happen. These are people who were admitted to bail at the magistrate court but have nobody to take them on bail. In fact, the young man who left yesterday was admitted to bail, subsequently, his charge was struck out by the court.
“The court did not come back to inform the custodial centre and he was just there. The remaining, I’m hopeful before the end of today, they will be out. I’m doing this to let everyone know that the criminal justice system of Nigeria and Akwa Ibom needs to be revisited.”
The lawyer also challenged the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom to release the CCTV footage of the July 27 court sitting.
According to him, he did not point at the judge or bang on the table during the proceedings.
Effiong said, “I’m using this opportunity to publicly appeal and urge my lord, the Honorable Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom, Justice Ekaette Obot to please release the CCTV footage of that day.
“Because I was told and I’m aware to the best of my knowledge, that there are CCTV cameras inside that courtroom. Let all lawyers in Nigeria see where Inibehe’s pointed at the Honorable Chief Judge, let them also see where Inibehe banged on the table. Why scandalise my name and attribute to me conduct that never took