The lawyer, Mr Bala Ali, a legal officer with the Management Board, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, appeared in court not properly robed and casually dressed.
He wore only a pair of trousers and a shirt without a tie and without tucking in his shirt.
The judge noticed the improper dressing in court when he announced his appearance as legal officer, representing the hospital and also as a witness in an existing suit in court.
One Malam Mahmood Sambo, Assistant Director and Head of Finance Department of the hospital, had instituted a suit against the hospital, alleging wrongful dismissal over alleged petitions of fraud.
Ali, being the hospital’s legal officer, had appeared in court to represent the hospital as a defence witness in the suit.
The legal officer, while being cautioned by the judge, argued that as a defence witness for the hospital, he did not see it fit to dress formally.
He, however, apologised to the court for dressing improperly to court.
Other lawyers also pleaded on his behalf to be allowed to remain in court as a defence witness in the suit.
Lifu, thereafter, stressed the need for all legal practitioners to dress decently and in accordance to their profession, especially when in court, irrespective of the duty they were assigned to perform.
He noted that the court is a hallowed chamber and as ‘ministers in the temple of justice’, lawyers ought to comport themselves in line with their roles. (NAN)
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