The development came to light when a matter was called and the lawyer representing a litigant failed to appear in court

Proceedings at a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt were briefly disrupted on Thursday, March 11, 2026, after it emerged that a lawyer who reportedly died in December 2025 had been recorded as appearing before the court earlier this year to handle a case.

The development came to light when a matter was called and the lawyer representing a litigant failed to appear in court.

When asked about his absence, the litigant informed the court that his lawyer had died in December 2025.

The revelation surprised the presiding Senior Magistrate, Kingsley Briggs, who then directed that the court’s record book be checked.

However, the records indicated that the same lawyer had appeared before the court on February 10, 2026, to represent the litigant in the matter.

Addressing the litigant, Magistrate Briggs recalled that the court had earlier considered issuing a bench warrant against him during the February sitting because he was absent.

He said the warrant was not issued after the lawyer pleaded that his client was ill and needed medical attention.

Based on that explanation, the court granted an adjournment and fixed the case for March 11, 2026.

In a bid to clarify the situation, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Emmanuel John, who was present in court, suggested that the deceased lawyer’s family be contacted.

A relative who was reached confirmed that the lawyer had indeed died in December 2025.

The family member further disclosed that the lawyer was allegedly strangled in his apartment in Oyigbo, Rivers State, last December, adding that the police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

It was also gathered that a photograph of the deceased lawyer was presented to the litigant, the court clerk and the presiding magistrate for identification.

All three individuals confirmed that the lawyer in the photograph was the same person they had referred to during the earlier proceedings.

The court is now seeking further clarification on how the late lawyer’s name came to be recorded as present during the February hearing.

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