The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has dismissed a petition filed by Afe Babalola & Co, the law firm of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Afe Babalola, seeking to disbar lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi. The petition was based on claims that Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Criminal Justice System, defamed Babalola and violated professional conduct rules for lawyers.
The LPDC, chaired by Isaq Bello, ruled that the allegations were beyond its jurisdiction. The committee clarified that its mandate is limited to addressing professional misconduct directly linked to the practice of law. Consequently, the petition was denied.
The law firm had accused Farotimi of distorting facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers, and obstructing justice for personal gain, alleging violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023. Despite these accusations, the LPDC determined that the matter fell outside the scope of its authority to strike off Farotimi’s name from the legal practitioners’ roll.
This decision underscores the boundaries of the LPDC’s role and raises broader discussions about the intersection of legal criticism, free expression, and professional conduct.
