Lawyer Slumps, Dies Inside Court Room During Trial

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A community in Umuchu town in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State has been thrown into mourning after one of their prominent lawyers, Barrister Solomon Uzoigwe slumped and died in a court room during trial over a land matter.

This caused pandemonium inside the court room as the lawyers who were present in the court ran helter skelter, abandoned him on the floor and fled.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on Wednesday within the premises of Onitsha High Court where the late Uzoigwe had gone to defend a matter against the advice of his wife.

It was gathered that the late Uzoigwe had gone to court to defend a matter but before the trial date, he suddenly fell sick. Despite his condition, he rejected his wife’s advice to rest and face his medication, went to the court where he eventually collapsed and died.

The 41-year old lawyer who got married recently, had only a kid before he died. He was said to have slumped in the court room and was later rushed to several hospitals in the city but it was already late as doctors only confirmed him dead.

His death has thrown the NBA Onitsha branch into mourning as some of the lawyers expressed shock and confessed that they have never witnessed such incident in recent times in the court premises.

The corpse has been deposited in an undisclosed mortuary for autopsy report before he will be buried in his village in Ibughubu in Umuchu town Aguata Local Government Area in Anambra State.

What would have caused the death of the deceased was not known because the autopsy report was not yet ready.
However, the late Uzoigwe was known for handling briefs especially on land matters and family disputes that had set brothers against themselves in his community and beyond for several years.

It was gathered that some of his senior colleagues had cautioned him against such briefs but he did not listen because of the huge money involved in such cases. Some attributed his sudden death to diabolical powers due to the kind of briefs he was handling in courts which were described as sensitive matters.

The late Solomon’s father, Pa Raphael Uzoigwe was a well known businessman and a real estate mogul that had over 100 houses beside hotels in Onitsha and other cities in the South East. He had six wives and the late Solomon was the second son among all the children Pa Uzoigwe had from his wives.

The late Uzoigwe will also be remembered for his contribution to his community and because of his commitment to the development of his community, he was appointed their legal adviser until he died.

No date has been fixed for his burial.