 has dismissed a petition from Emmanuel Chambers, the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola){kind=link}
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has dismissed a petition from Emmanuel Chambers, the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola SAN, seeking the revocation of lawyer and author Dele Farotimi’s practising license.
The petition alleged criminal defamation and professional misconduct linked to Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Criminal Justice System.
Filed by Ola Faro, a lawyer with Emmanuel Chambers, the petition claimed that Farotimi’s book made defamatory assertions about the Supreme Court and the legal profession, including allegations of corruption and bribery involving judicial officers.
Specific references were made to a Supreme Court case, SC/146/2006, and its broader implications on residential estates and subsequent legal battles.
The LPDC, however, ruled that the allegations pertained to Farotimi’s role as an author, not as a practising lawyer.
The committee emphasized its lack of jurisdiction over issues stemming from publications, advising the petitioners to pursue their grievances through the regular courts.
Justice Isaq Usman Bello, LPDC Chairman, clarified that complaints about intellectual property, such as books, do not fall within the scope of the committee’s mandate to regulate professional conduct.
The report reiterated that the publication did not constitute professional misconduct as defined by the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023.
The petition had accused Farotimi of distorting facts, disparaging legal colleagues, and obstructing justice for personal benefit.
Emmanuel Chambers argued that the book breached ethical rules and sought to have Farotimi removed from the Roll of Legal Practitioners. However, the LPDC rejected the petition, urging the complainants to seek legal remedies elsewhere.