Also, the sight of lawyers in gowns and probably carrying files, big law books or boxes containing law books and rolling them from one court to another is a common feature.
Added to this, is the presence of warders and their vehicles used to transport prison inmates to and from various prisons and courts for trial as well as the sight of securitymen.
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These features are mainly applicable from magistrate courts to the appellate courts in most cases.But when there is a trial going on in any court that is involving a ‘Very Important Personality’, for example, the trial of those who were alleged to have stolen and plundered our commonwealth, or a major case of public interest, such as armed robbery, kidnapping or terrorism, the court environment takes a different shape.
The atmosphere becomes more busy with human traffic. A retinue of journalists with different cameras and phones usually cluster and position in other to take a good shot of the suspect, either on arrival or while leaving the court room.
This development usually attract the attention of passers-by. In this scenario, when you sight different cameras mounted inside the court premises, you don’t need to be told that there is a VIP arraignment.
Then, the moment the case is over and the suspects step out of the court, these journalists will descend on them and you hear a staccato of sounds of clicking, snapping and flashing. Some journalists will even take ten shots at ago and at the end you may not see more that one in their publication.
However, there are cases Out of the Court witnessed in which the suspects attempted to shield themselves from cameras. In other cases, the warders, police or other security agents deterred newsmen from taking their shots and sometime this has often degenerated to a face-off.
But there was this case witnessed by Out of Court in Igbosere Magistrate Court which involved the trial of the son of a late prominent Lagos businessman over the mis- management of his late father’s estate and allegation of gun-running brought against him by a section of the family members.
Immediately the Magistrate adjourned the case, journalists had already positioned in the gate waiting for the suspect. And indeed, with the knowledge of this, the suspect with the connivance of the court workers and probably his counsel played a fast one. He was led out through the back entrance of the court and my colleagues, sadly, had to wait endlessly.
