Renowned legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has initiated proceedings to disbar Lagos-based lawyer Dele Farotimi.
This move comes in response to alleged defamatory statements made by Farotimi against the Nigerian judiciary and prominent legal figures.
The petition, filed with the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) by Babalola's law firm, accuses Farotimi of violating multiple provisions of the professional conduct rules for lawyers.
Ola Faro, a partner at Afe Babalola & Co., signed the comprehensive 90-page document, which details the alleged infractions.
According to the petition, Farotimi's book, "Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System," contains unfounded allegations of corruption against eminent justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the High Court of Lagos State, and members of Babalola's law firm.
The petition asserts that these claims are not only false but also damaging to the reputation of the legal profession.
Faro stated, "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."
The LPDC, responsible for maintaining ethical standards among Nigerian lawyers, will review the case. The committee's decision could lead to Farotimi's disbarment if the allegations are substantiated.
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