Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer sentenced to one month imprisonment on Wednesday, has been turned back by the Uyo Correctional Centre.
Effiong was on Wednesday, sentenced to prison by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot allegedly without trial.
The prison authorities, according to Effiong, declined to incarcerate him, on grounds of Covid-19 protocols.
Effiong has been updating his situation on Twitter.
“They’re saying that I can’t be jailed in Uyo prison because of COVID protocol, that I have to be in Ikot Ekpene prison. Uyo prison has rejected me.
“We are going back to the court now for His Lordship to determine where I should be jailed. History will vindicate the just.
“(I am) Inside van at Uyo prison waiting for the issue of custody to be determined, between Uyo or Ikot Ekpene prison. History will vindicate the just,” he tweeted.
Earlier, the CJ fulfilled her July 2, 2022 threat to send Effiong, to prison in a suit in which Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State is a party.
The judge reportedly lashed out at the counsel, who pleaded with the court to entertain his application which sought the judge’s withdrawal from the case after his client, Leo Ekpenyong, accused her of bias.
“I will send you out of there now, remove that robe and send you to prison by the time you go to the Court of Appeal and come back. What is this? You are overstepping your bounds,” Justice Obot reportedly out at Mr Effiong, according to a report by Premium Times.
Following Wednesday morning’s proceedings, the judge, according to Effiong, sentenced him to one month without a trial.