By Abdulwahab Abdulah

The authority of Federal High has instituted a probe into an allegation of assault a court clerk, Israel Okodugha by a Judge of the Federal High court, Justice Rita Ofilli-Ajumogobia.

A source close to the office of Chief Registrar of the court said the authority of the high court has started looking into the petition to examine its merit.

The investigation was coming as sources close to Ajumogobia’s court alleged that the crisis between the court clerk and the judge was borne out of unruly behaviour of the former.

The alleged assault which was highly reported in the media last week emanated from a petition by the father of the clerk, Mr. S.O Okodugha who narrated how the High Court Judge allegedly assaulted his son in May, this year.

However, investigations by Vanguard Law and Human Rights revealed that the Judge and the said Clerk did not have any physical exchange on the said day, but the allegation was as a result of  a probe instituted into the conduct of some court staff recently which, “might informed the bid to allegedly scandalize the Judge.”

It was said that no fewer than two senior staff of the court were investigated by Justice Ajumogobia in recent times, over issues relating to mishandling of the court files.

It was further gathered that   the Judge called a meeting of all her chamber’s staff and told them to desist from fraudulent practice, adding that, “anyone who attempted to soil her name through nefarious activities will face the consequence.”

It was also learnt that subsequently, there was a report emanating from the probe indicting two officials of the court, which have been sent to higher authorities, which was now generating some ripples in the court.

The report according to the source was as a result of a complaint lodged by a litigant who said, a sum of N20,000 was demanded by some court officials, but pleaded to be allowed to pay N7,000 to have his file moved.

The source added, :“on seeing the man loitering around her office through the close circuit television, the judge asked the staff to call him and the man told her that his file has not been assigned in the last two weeks because a staff allegedly demanded a bribe of  N20,000 but he told them he had only N7,000 which they refused.”

The Judge subsequently instructed the man to put his complaint into writing, which led to the probe.