Lawyers have explained the conditions under which the Legal Practitioners’ Privilege Committee (LPPC) of the Supreme Court of Nigeria can restore a lawyer de-robed over misconduct.
In the recent restoration of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria to Beluolisa Nwofor after over four years, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of LPPC, Justice Tanko Muhammad, said it was in response to the lawyer’s request.
“This is to formally notify you that the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, at its general meeting, held on Tuesday, the 7th day of September 2021, considered your application for the restoration of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on you, which was earlier withdrawn,” the notice said.
The senior advocate’s rank was stripped in June 2017 over alleged misconduct against a Court of Appeal justice while he was appearing for the then chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff.
Also, during the Call to Bar ceremony in July, the chairman of the Body of Benchers, a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, announced that the disciplinary committee sanctioned 11 lawyers in Nigeria for various acts of professional misconduct in 2021.
Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq said the de-robed lawyer may be restored where the punishment was for a short period, and “if there is remorse and application for consideration to the disciplinary committee is made. The punishment might be reduced or suspended.”
Also speaking, E.M.D Umukoro Esq said the restoration of a de-robed lawyer would depend on the nature, the gravity and the action of the indicted lawyer.
“If for instance, the lawyer committed a misdemeanour in the cause of recovering his fees and is willing to make good the misdemeanour, he most likely will win the sympathy of the disciplinary committee,” he said.
“Where his or her action, though an indictment, is not scandalous or infamous and unbecoming of a lawyer after serving the punishment and is remorseful, then he or she may be considered by the LPDC or the Privileges Committee.”
