Afe Babalola Petitions LPDC Asking For Dele Farotimi To Be Barred From Practicing Law

Afe Babalola’s law firm has submitted a petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), urging it to remove Lagos-based lawyer, Dele Farotimi from the list of licensed lawyers in Nigeria.

Afe Babalola’s petition accused Dele Farotimi of violating multiple professional conduct rules for lawyers, including making baseless allegations of corruption against prominent figures in Nigeria’s judiciary.

The petition, dated December 6, 2024, was signed by Ola Faro, a partner at the law firm, and is in response to statements made by Farotimi in his book, “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System”.

The petition claims that Farotimi’s accusations were damaging to the reputation of the judiciary and specific individuals, including the Supreme Court justices, Lagos High Court judges, and members of Afe Babalola & Co.

The petition alleges that Farotimi’s actions include making false accusations against the legal profession, bribing judicial officers, and participating in illegal activities that compromised the integrity of the judicial system.

Other charges include distorting facts in a case already decided by the Supreme Court, showing disrespect to fellow lawyers, and obstructing the administration of justice for personal gain.

Farotimi is also accused of using offensive language against the Supreme Court and its justices, as well as making defamatory statements against judicial officers instead of filing complaints through the proper channels.

The petition asserts that these violations not only hurt the legal profession but also sought to discredit the judiciary as a whole.

The petition is titled “PETITION AGAINST TOMILOLA TITUS FAROTIMI (ALSO KNOWN AS DELE FAROTIMI ESQ), A NIGERIAN LAWYER CALLED TO THE NIGERIAN BAR WITH HIS NAME ON THE ROLL OF LEGAL PRACTITIONERS KEPT BY THE SUPREME COURT FOR VIOLATION OF THE EXTANT RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT FOR LEGAL PRACTITIONERS RULES 1, 15(1), 15(2B), 15(3A), 15(3G), 15(3I), 15(3J),26(1), 27(1), 30, 31(1), (2) and (4) OF THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT 2023 BY BRINGING THE ENTIRE JUDICIARY IN NIGERIA INTO DISREPUTE WITH HIS UNFOUNDED ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AGAINST EMINENT JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA, JUDGES OF HIGH COURT OF LAGOS STATE, AARE AFE BABALOLA SAN, OLU DARAMOLA SAN, OLA FARO ESQ, AND THE ENTIRE CHAMBERS OF AFE BABALOLA & CO IN HIS BOOK TITLED ‘NIGERIA AND ITS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.”

Ola Faro who stated that he was writing both in his personal capacity “and for and on behalf of the law firm of Afe Babalola & Co.”, gave a background of the facts of the case and detailed the contraventions of the rules of professional conduct by the respondent, Farotimi.

According to the petitioners, Farotimi “engaged in conduct which is unbecoming of a legal practitioner by making false accusations against the Supreme Court and the legal profession.”

The petitioners also stated that Farotimi “Participated in conduct that he believes to be unlawful by bribing judicial officers and having unlawful access to a judicial officer.”

“Joined his clients in committing misconduct and breach of law with reference to judicial officers by having unlawful access to a judicial officer.

“Gave service to his client which he knows is capable of causing a breach of law and disrespect and corrupting a judicial officer.

“Knowingly made false statement of law and facts in respect to a case already decided by the Supreme Court. Assisted his clients in a conduct that he knows to be illegal and fraudulent. Knowingly engaged in illegal conduct in the cause of his practice as a legal practitioner.”

“Treated his fellow lawyers without respect, fairness, consideration and dignity, allowing ill feeling between opposing clients to influence his conduct and demeanour by distorting the facts of a case in the cause of his practice as a legal practitioner.”

“Failed to observe good faith and fairness in dealing with other lawyers in respect to a case already decided by the Supreme Court.”

“Conducted himself in a manner that obstructed, delayed and adversely affected the administration of justice by taking steps to frustrate a decision of the Supreme Court for his personal benefit and benefit of his client who lost at the Supreme Court.”

“Treated the court, particularly the Supreme Court without respect, dignity and honour by using uncouth, unprofessional, undignified and offensive language against the Supreme Court and the justices of the Supreme Court.”

“Made defamatory statements against judicial officers rather than making a complaint to appropriate authorities. Indicated that he discussed a pending case with a judge trying the case in the absence of an opposing lawyer.”

“The contravention of these rules by the Respondent (Farotimi) prompted this petition to protect the dignity of the legal profession, the dignity of the court as the temple of justice and to uphold the standards of the legal profession.”

They also noted that some of the statements made in Farotimi’s book are likely set the legal profession and society ablaze and that these statements were made to discredit the entire Nigerian judiciary, Justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the High Court of Lagos State, their law firm and to ridicule them within the legal profession and injure their hard-earned reputation and financial credit.

The LPDC is responsible for investigating and disciplining lawyers in Nigeria. If it agrees with the petition, it can remove Farotimi’s name from the official list of legal practitioners, although this decision can be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Dele Farotimi’s legal troubles began on December 7, 2024, when he was remanded in prison by the Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court following his arrest on charges of criminal defamation.

The accusations stem from claims in Farotimi’s book, “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System”, where he allegedly criticized Afe Babalola over a long-standing Supreme Court land dispute judgment.