Alleged Defamation: LPDC Rejects Afe Babalola’s Move To Debar Farotimi

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), has outrightly turned down the request by Chief Afe Babalola SAN, law firm to debar lawyer and popular activist, Tomolola Titus Farotimi from legal practice.

The LPDC held that the alleged offenses alleged to have been committed by Farotimi was carried out in his personal capacity as an author, and not during his practice as a legal professional.

The LPDC in its report declared; “The publication is an intellectual property and not a conduct or action committed while practicing as a Legal Practitioner.

“All aggrieved parties who find the publication ‘defamatory’ should ventilate their grievances through the regular courts,” it said.

In the report, the Chairman of the LPDC, Justice Isaq Usman Bello, declared that the petition could not be granted due to jurisdictional limitations, stressing that the LPDC lacked jurisdiction to address complaints about publications thus, advised aggrieved parties to seek redress in regular courts.

Chief Babalola’s chambers, ‘Emmanuel Chambers’ had petitioned the LPDC urging it to revoke the law practicing license of lawyer, activist and author, Tomilola Titus Farotimi, popularly known as Dele Farotimi, over alleged criminal defamation and professional misconduct.

Farotimi was drafted to the LPDC based on a petition authored by Mr. Ola Faro, a lawyer in Emmanuel Chambers alleging that Farotimi, in his book titled; “Nigeria and Criminal Justice System”, made defamatory statements against the Supreme Court and the legal profession.

The petitioner said that the book specifically referenced suit number SC/146/2006 between Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye and others, alleging corruption, bribery, and other unethical practices involving judicial officers and the legal community.

The petitioner said that Farotimi distorted case facts, disrespected fellow lawyers, and engaged in actions that obstructed justice for personal gain.

The petitioner noted that specific grievances included references to a Supreme Court judgment that affected multiple residential estates and subsequent legal proceedings undermining the apex court’s decision.

Emmanuel Chambers further alleged that Farotimi’s book violated several sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and therefore demanded that his name should be struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners.

But, in its decision, the LPDC as contained in its report ‘B8B/LPDC/1571/2024’, held that the alleged offenses occurred in Farotimi’s personal capacity as an author, and not during his practice as a legal professional.