The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected a request by Chief Afe Babalola SAN’s law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, demanding the revocation of the law practising license of lawyer and author, Tomilola Farotimi, also known as Dele Farotimi, over allegations of criminal defamation and professional misconduct.
Ola Faro, a lawyer in Emmanuel Chambers filed the petition against
Farotimi alleging that his book “Nigeria and Criminal Justice System”, made defamatory statements against the Supreme Court and the legal profession.
Contrary to the petitioner’s demand, the LPDC through its Chairman, Justice Isaq Usman Bello, in its report made it clear that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s capacity as an author, not during his practice as a legal professional.
The LPDC therefore concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to address complaints about publications and advised aggrieved parties to seek redress in regular courts.
“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,” the report noted.
