Drama as lawyer who died 3 months ago reportedly appear in court in Rivers State

Chaos erupted at a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt when a lawyer, believed to have died months ago, was reportedly recorded as attending a court session.

The incident occurred during proceedings overseen by Senior Magistrate Kingsley Briggs. When a case came up for hearing, the defendant’s lawyer was absent.

The magistrate inquired about the lawyer’s whereabouts, only to be told by the client that the lawyer had passed away in December 2025.

Court Records Show Lawyer ‘Present’ After Death

The courtroom was thrown into confusion when court records revealed that the same lawyer had been listed as present on February 10, 2026.

According to the records, the lawyer had appeared to request that the court refrain from issuing a bench warrant against his client, who was reportedly ill. The matter was subsequently adjourned to March 11, 2026.

The revelation left many in the court stunned, as the client insisted his lawyer had died two months prior to the recorded court appearance.

Family Confirms Death, Police Involved

To clarify the matter, a representative from the Nigerian Bar Association suggested contacting the lawyer’s family. A relative confirmed that the lawyer indeed passed away in December 2025.

The relative alleged that the lawyer was strangled in his apartment in Oyigbo and that the incident had already been reported to the police.

Court Reviews Proceedings

The shocking development has raised serious questions about how a deceased lawyer’s name appeared in official court records.

Court officials have begun reviewing the February proceedings and documentation to understand what happened.