The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has dismissed a petition by Emmanuel Chambers, the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola SAN, seeking to revoke the legal license of author and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, over alleged defamation and professional misconduct.
The petition, filed by Emmanuel Chambers’ lawyer Ola Faro, accused Farotimi of making defamatory claims in his book Nigeria and Criminal Justice System, which allegedly criticised the Supreme Court and the legal profession.
However, the LPDC ruled that the allegations pertained to Farotimi’s role as an author rather than as a practicing lawyer. It stated that jurisdiction over such publications lies with regular courts, not the disciplinary body.
LPDC Chairman Justice Isaq Usman Bello clarified that the committee could not act on the petition due to these jurisdictional constraints. The aggrieved parties were advised to pursue the matter in court.
Emmanuel Chambers argued that Farotimi’s book distorted legal case facts, criticised judicial officers, and violated sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
Despite these claims, the LPDC reiterated that intellectual publications fall outside its purview.
