American Held For A Few Minutes In Lagos Court Waiting Cell For Using Phone

 

An American woman, Megan Chapman (pictured above) who is the Co-Executive Director, Justice Empowerment Initiative, was locked up in the waiting cell of the Federal High court in Lagos this morning May 6th for using her phone during a court session. Megan who was in court for a fundamental rights suit her group filed against the Ojora of Lagos, Chief Abdul Fatai Aromire, started using her phone while Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was reviewing the case brought before her.

This apparently is not allowed in court and was noticed by the presiding judge who immediately registered her displeasure and ordered that Megan be escorted out of the court room and remanded in the court waiting cell. She was held up for 20 minutes in the court cell and later released after much plea from lawyers and judicial workers. Narrating what happened to LIB, Megan said.

"The incident happened at about 9 am. I didn't know the rules of the court so I was replying an urgent message. It was not like I wanted to disrespect the court. The incident today only made me know the rules of the Nigerian law court. I was later invited by the Judge to her chambers and she accepted my apology. The prison officials were also nice" she said.