09 May 2013, WARRI – THE Administrative Judge of the Warri Judicial Division and Presiding Judge of High Court 1, Warri, DeltaState, Hon. Justice Marshall Mukoro has warned the Ijaw litigants in the case between the State Government and the Okere community seeking to be joined in the matter not to come to him again trying to influence him over their intention to join the case.
He asked to be allowed to handle the case within the ambit of the law and told them to go prepare their case with proof supported by the law. He added that is a Christian and do not wish to get entangled in anything that would tarnish his name.
The visibly angry Justice Mukoro who requested all the Ogbe-Ijoh litigants seeking to join the case to stand up in the open court revealed that an old man of over 80 years came to him trying to influence him on how the matter should go, noting that if not for respect for his age he would have sent him to prison. He warned that he would not tolerate such acts again.
The Okere community led by Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor and the Ogieboro of Okere Chief Felix Esisi and other elders together with their counsel, Peter Aihiokhai had dragged the state government to court over alleged forceful possession of their land where a new model school is being built before the Warri High Court.
At the last sitting, some Ijaws from Ogbe-Ijoh led by one Clarkson Aribogha came to court seeking to be joined in the matter as owners of the same land, to which the Okere Itsekiri people did not object to before the matter was adjourned to Monday.
At the resume hearing yesterday, the Director of Civil Litigation in the State Ministry of Justice, S.O. Monye objected to the Ijaw application for joinder through their counsel, T.C. William after which counsels for the state government and the Ijaw adopted their written addresses.
Justice Mukoro then adjourn the matter to June 11, 2013 for ruling on the joinder application.