The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has dismissed a petition filed by Aare Afe Babalola’s law firm, Emmanuel Chambers, seeking the revocation of Dele Farotimi’s practising licence over criminal defamation and professional misconduct.

In the petition, Emmanuel Chambers alleged that Farotimi, in his book: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ made defamatory assertions against the Supreme Court and the legal profession and thus should be disbarred.

The petitioner claimed that while discussing the outcome of a 2006 suit between Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu and HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye and others, Farotimi in the book accused judicial officials of corruption, bribery, and other unethical practices .

The chambers therefore accused Farotimi of distorting case facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers, and engaging in actions that obstructed justice for personal gain.

Emmanuel Chambers then asked the LPDC to strike the human rights activist’s name from the name should therefore be struck off the roll of legal practitioners because he violated several sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 by the assertions he made in his book.

However, the LPDC Chairman, Justice Isaq Usman Bello, held that the body lacked the requisite jurisdiction to delve into issues relating to the allegation of criminal defamation and professional misconduct. He said the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s role as an author, not during his professional practice as a lawyer.

The LPDC said: “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.”