A magistrate court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, experienced pandemonium on Wednesday after discovering that a lawyer who had d in December 2025 appeared to conduct his ongoing case.
The lawyer, whose name has not been confirmed, was reportedly ed by unknown assailants in his apartment in Oyigbo. Despite being buried, court records indicated his presence during proceedings on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to handle a sensitive matter.
The confusion arose when the matter was called for hearing on Wednesday, and the litigant informed the court that his legal counsel had passed away, and he was seeking a new representative. The court, presided over by Senior Magistrate Kingsley Briggs, was thrown into disarray upon hearing the revelation.
Magistrate Briggs recounted that the deceased lawyer had previously appeared in court while the litigant was absent due to health issues. The court had initially considered issuing a bench warrant but had adjourned the matter to March 12, 2026, following the lawyer’s plea on behalf of his client.
To clarify the situation, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, suggested contacting the lawyer’s family. Confirmation from a family member revealed that the lawyer had been strangled in December 2025, and police investigations are ongoing.
The shocking revelation prompted many litigants and legal practitioners to leave the courtroom, highlighting the unusual and mysterious circumstances surrounding the case.
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