Mohammed Shosanya
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has turned down a request from Chief Afe Babalola’s law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, to revoke the law license of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
LPDC Chairman,Justice Isaq Usman Bello,dismissed the petition, saying that it was beyond the committee’s jurisdiction.
The petition filed by Emmanuel Chambers through one of its lawyers, Mr. Ola Faro, the firm had accused Farotimi of criminal defamation and professional misconduct.
The petition claimed that Farotimi, in his book “Nigeria and Criminal Justice System”, made defamatory remarks about the Supreme Court and the legal profession.
The book referenced a case (SC/146/2006) between Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye,alleging corruption, bribery, and unethical conduct within the judiciary and legal community.
The petition further accused Farotimi of distorting case facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers, and obstructing justice for personal benefit.
Among the grievances cited were his puncture of a Supreme Court judgment affecting several residential estates and his portrayal of subsequent legal proceedings as undermining the apex court’s decision.
Emmanuel Chambers insisted that Farotimi’s book violated provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and called for Farotimi’s name to be removed from the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
But LPDC, in its report marked (B8B/LPDC/1571/2024),maintained that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s role as an author, not during his professional practice as a lawyer.
The committee said it lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on matters related to publications and advised the complainants to seek redress through the regular courts.
“The publication is an intellectual property and not a conduct or action committed while practicing as a Legal Practitioner.
“All aggrieved parties who find the publication ‘defamatory’ should ventilate their grievances through the regular courts,”the LPDC stated in its report.
