The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected a request by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola, to revoke the law practising licence of human rights activist, lawyer and author, Dele Farotimi, over alleged defamation and professional misconduct.
In the petition written by Ola Faro, a lawyer in Afe Babalola’s law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, Farotimi was alleged to have made defamatory statements against the Supreme Court and the legal profession through his controversial book titled “Nigeria and Criminal Justice System”.
Farotimi was said to have referenced suit number SC/146/2006 between Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye and others, claiming corruption, bribery, and other unethical practices involving judicial officers and the legal community.
Emmanuel Chambers accused Farotimi of gross misconduct having allegedly distorted case facts, disrespected fellow lawyers and made unfounded allegations which endanger the Judicial profession.
Specifically, the petition alleged that the lawyer referenced a Supreme Court judgment that affected multiple residential estates and subsequent legal proceedings undermining the apex court’s decision.
Emmanuel Chambers therefore requested that Farotimi be stripped of his licence to practice if found guilty of violating several sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023.
Delivering its report, marked; B8B/LPDC/1571/2024), the LPDC held that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s capacity as an author, not during his practice as a legal professional.
LPDC Chairman, Justice Isaq Usman Bello said it lacked jurisdiction to hear complaints about publications and advised aggrieved parties to seek redress in regular courts.
The LPDC’s report stated: “The publication is an intellectual property and not a conduct or action committed while practising as a Legal Practitioner.
“All aggrieved parties who find the publication ‘defamatory’ should ventilate their grievances through the regular courts,” LPDC said.
It would be recalled that Farotimi is facing legal battles following his alleged defamation of Afe Babalola, through his book.
A Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti had on December 9 granted him N50m bail, while in a separate suit , an Ekiti State Magistrate Court on December 20, granted him N30m bail, all for alleged defamation.