Afe Babalola’s law firm has filed a petition with the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), urging it to remove Lagos-based lawyer Dele Farotimi from the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria. The petition alleges that Farotimi violated several provisions of the rules of professional conduct for lawyers.
The 90-page petition, dated December 6, 2024, was signed by Ola Faro, a partner in the law firm, who is also mentioned in Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System. The petition, titled Petition Against Tomilola Titus Farotimi (Dele Farotimi) for Violating Professional Conduct Rules, accuses Farotimi of damaging the reputation of the Nigerian judiciary with unfounded corruption allegations against prominent justices and legal professionals, including Aare Afe Babalola SAN, Olu Daramola SAN, Ola Faro Esq., and the entire chambers of Afe Babalola & Co.
The petition asserts that Farotimi’s conduct violates several rules of professional ethics, including making false accusations, engaging in unlawful actions with judicial officers, and disrespecting the court. Specifically, Farotimi is accused of:
- Making false statements about the judiciary and legal profession.
- Participating in unlawful conduct, including bribing judicial officers and making false claims in cases decided by the Supreme Court.
- Treating fellow lawyers disrespectfully and distorting facts in his legal practice.
- Using offensive language against the Supreme Court and judicial officers.
- Obstructing justice by attempting to frustrate Supreme Court decisions.
The petitioners argue that Farotimi’s actions undermine the dignity of the legal profession and the judiciary, and they seek to uphold the standards of the profession by addressing these alleged misconducts. The LPDC is now tasked with investigating these claims and determining whether Farotimi should be disbarred for his conduct.
