Afe Babalola has filed a petition against Dele Farotimi, seeking his disbarment for alleged defamation and violating legal ethics. Farotimi’s accusations, made in his book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, claim that Babalola and others corrupted the judiciary. Babalola’s legal team seeks action from the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
Afe Babalola has filed a new petition against Lagos-based attorney and activist Dele Farotimi, requesting that he be barred from practicing law. The petition, submitted on December 6, 2024, to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), accuses Farotimi of violating various provisions of the rules of professional conduct for lawyers. It is based on Farotimi's recent book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, in which he allegedly made defamatory claims about several judicial figures, including Babalola, accusing them of corrupt practices to influence judicial outcomes.
The petition, signed by Ola Faro, a partner at Babalola’s law firm, outlines several alleged breaches of ethical conduct. It accuses Farotimi of making false accusations against the Supreme Court and various high-ranking legal professionals, thus tarnishing the reputation of Nigeria's judiciary. The petition also claims that Farotimi participated in unlawful conduct, such as bribing judicial officers, making false statements about a case already decided by the Supreme Court, and obstructing justice for personal gain.
Babalola and his law firm assert that Farotimi’s actions go against the principles of fairness, professionalism, and respect for the legal system, and they argue that his behavior has damaged the integrity of the judiciary. Farotimi is currently facing legal proceedings, including a defamation lawsuit filed by Babalola, and remains in custody while awaiting a decision on his bail. The petition requests that the LPDC remove Farotimi from the role of legal practitioner in Nigeria due to his alleged misconduct.
