The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected a petition from Emmanuel Chambers, the law firm of legal icon Afe Babalola, seeking the revocation of Dele Farotimi’s practising licence. The firm had accused Farotimi of criminal defamation and professional misconduct.
Emmanuel Chambers alleged that Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, defamed Afe Babalola and disrespected the Supreme Court by referencing case SC/146/2006 between Major Muritala Eletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye. The firm claimed the book contained allegations of corruption, bribery, and unethical practices against judicial officers and members of the legal community.
The petition further accused Farotimi of distorting case facts, disrespecting his peers, and obstructing justice for personal gain.
However, the LPDC, led by its chairman, Justice Isaq Bello, dismissed the petition during a session in Abuja on Tuesday, citing jurisdictional limitations.
In its report (B8B/LPDC/1571/2024), the disciplinary committee concluded that the alleged offences were related to Farotimi’s work as an author and not his professional conduct as a practising lawyer.
“The publication is an intellectual property and not a conduct or action committed while practising as a legal practitioner,” the LPDC stated. “All aggrieved parties who find the publication ‘defamatory’ should ventilate their grievances through the regular courts.”
The decision highlights the distinction between legal practice and personal expression, with the LPDC advising that disputes over publications be resolved through civil litigation rather than disciplinary proceedings.
