If nothing else, the legal fraternity is known for the studied civility and deference with which members of the bar address each other but today all that was thrown through the courtroom door when it got downright dirty in the Chief Magistrate's courtroom.
It was supposed to be a procedural hearing for the Hertular extradition case but things heated up just as the hearing was finished and Solicitor General Elson Kaseke was making an emphatic point. That's when counsel for Hertular Michael Peyrefitte felt that Kaseke was pointing in his face. Peyrefitte wouldn't have it and took the tone of the exchange from the courtroom to the corner culvert when he snapped at Kaseke: "Don't point your finger in my face or I will box you!"
That is strong talk fit for a barroom but too strong for a courtroom and the Chief Magistrate had to get involved to tell them to break it up. But before big brother Lord could settle them down, that's when Hertular's lead attorney Lionel Welch got into it with court prosecutor Jacklyn Willoughby who he called a "nobody" and Willoughby tartly told him to go look in a mirror.
With that testy and most unbecoming exchange, Hertular's extradition hearing was adjourned to Friday May 7th.