The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has denied the request by Chief Afe Babalola’s (SAN) law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, to revoke the practising license of lawyer and author Dele Farotimi based on claims of criminal defamation and professional misconduct.
A petition filed by a lawyer from Emmanuel Chambers, Mr. Ola Faro, was brought before the LPDC, asserting that Farotimi made defamatory remarks about the Supreme Court and the legal field in his book, Nigeria and the Criminal Justice System, warranting his disbarment.
Justice Isaq Usman Bello, the LPDC Chairman, announced on Tuesday in Abuja that the petition could not be granted because of jurisdiction limitations.
According to the complaint from Emmanuel Chambers, Farotimi’s book allegedly mentioned suit number SC/146/2006, involving Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye and others, alleging corruption, bribery, and unethical conduct among judicial officers and the legal community.
The petition accused Farotimi of misrepresenting case facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers, and taking actions that hindered justice for personal benefit.
Specific complaints included mentioning a Supreme Court ruling concerning various residential estates, with subsequent legal actions supposedly undermining the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Emmanuel Chambers contended that Farotimi’s book breached several provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and sought to remove his name from the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
Nevertheless, in its report (B8B/LPDC/1571/2024), the disciplinary committee concluded that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s role as an author rather than during his tenure as a legal practitioner. The LPDC determined it did not have the authority to consider publications-related complaints and encouraged affected parties to pursue redress in ordinary courts.
The report stated, “The publication falls under intellectual property and does not represent conduct or actions carried out while serving as a Legal Practitioner.”
