Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee rejects Afe Babalola’s bid to debar Farotimi
By Kasim Isa Muhammad
Kanempress News
25th December 2024
Reports revealed that lines of justice may be falling in pleasant places for the controversial lawyer and author, Tomilola Titus Farotimi, also known as Dele Farotimi.
This is as the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected a request by Afe Babalola’s law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, to revoke Farotimi’s law practice licence over alleged criminal defamation and professional misconduct.
Similarly, the detained lawyer regained his freedom, on Tuesday, after meeting his bail conditions.
Farotimi was brought before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee based on a petition authored by Ola Faro, a lawyer in Emmanuel Chambers.
Kanempress gathered that the petition alleged that Farotimi, in his book, Nigeria and Criminal Justice System, made defamatory statements against the Supreme Court and the legal profession.
The book reportedly referenced suit number SC/146/2006 between Major Muritala GbadamosiEletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye and others, which claimed corruption, bribery, and other unethical practices involving judicial officers and the legal community.
The petition accused Farotimi of distorting case facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers and engaging in actions that obstructed justice for personal gain.
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 claimed that Farotimi’s book violated several sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and requested that his name be struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
However, in its report (B8B/LPDC/1571/2024), the LPDC determined that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s capacity as an author, not during his practice as a legal professional.
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to tackle such complaints about publications and advised aggrieved parties to seek redress in regular courts .
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee’s report stated: “The publication is an intellectual property and not a conduct or action committed while practising as a legal practitioner. All aggrieved parties who find the publication ‘defamatory’ should ventilate their grievances through the regular courts.”
Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Justice Ishaq Bello, affirmed that the petition could not be granted due to jurisdictional limitations.
Confirming Farotimi’s release, politician and activist, Omoyele Sowore, wrote on X, “I am pleased to report that Dele Farotimi is no longer being held in the prison facilities of Ekiti State and is now returning home to Lagos. The struggle continues!”
In a video on Sahara Reporters TV after Farotimi’s release from detention, Farotimi said he knew that fighting evil would not be an easy journey.
“It will never be an easy journey when you are fighting evil,” he said.
A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ado Ekiti granted Farotimi bail at N30 million, with two sureties, one of whom must be a property owner; the submission of Farotimi’s passport; and a prohibition on Farotimi granting media interviews once released.
