The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected petition seeking the disbarment of Dele Farotimi, a human rights lawyer, by Emmanuel Chambers, Afe Babalola’s law firm.
While rejecting the petition, the LPDC in its report which became public knowledge on Tuesday, determined that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s capacity as an author, not during his practice as a legal professional.
The committee then concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to address complaints about publications and advised aggrieved parties to seek redress in regular courts.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Dele Farotimi Released From Ekiti Prison
“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’s report stated.
Emmanuel Chambers had alleged in its 90-page petition that was sent to the LPDC on December 6, that Farotimi, in his book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, made defamatory statements against the Supreme Court and the legal profession.
The Chambers’ petition also accused Farotimi of distorting case facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers, and engaging in actions that obstructed justice for personal gain.
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The petition claimed that the human rights lawyer’s book violated several sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and requested that his name be struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
The LPDC is responsible for investigating and addressing cases of misconduct among legal professionals in Nigeria.
The committee’s decision to reject the petition coincides with Farotimi’s release by the Ekiti State Police Command after spending three weeks in their custody.
Farotimi’s arrest on December 3 was inspired by a petition the same Babalola had written to the police, claiming he had been defamed by the lawyer in his book.
