Skip to main content

EXCLUSIVE: TOP NIGERIAN LAWYER, ADEKUNBI OGUNDE DE-ROBED OVER ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT


The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has struck out the name of Adekunbi Ogunde from the roll of Legal Practitioners in Nigeria.

A source informed TheNigeriaLawyer that the LPDC today gave its decision after a thorough investigation into the allegations against Ogunde, a partner at the law firm of Wole Olanipekun & Co., from which she has resigned.

The controversy surrounding Ogunde began when it was reported that she had written an email to Saipem Oil Ltd, an international oil company, soliciting the company’s brief in a matter against the Rivers State Government. 

The brief had already been settled by the law firm of Okeke & Ajumogobia.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) swiftly instituted disciplinary proceedings against Ogunde for violation of the sacred rules of professional conduct, particularly Rule 1.

In a petition dated July 19, 2022, the NBA prayed the LPDC to immediately commence disciplinary process and prosecute Ogunde. 

The petition also sought the LPDC’s opinion on whether the partners of Wole Olanipekun & Co. should also be disciplined, considering Ogunde’s ostensible authority to act as a partner and her actions on behalf of the firm.

The petition, numbered BB/LPDC/901/2022, was filed by NBA 1st Vice President, Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, who stated that Ogunde was expected to exhibit and maintain a very high standard of conduct, professionalism, and respect for the integrity of the court and the judicial process when discharging her professional duties.

The NBA noted that members of the Association were taken aback by the contents of the letter, which allegedly originated from the esteemed office of Wole Olanipekun & Co. 

The letter was seen as an unprofessional and surreptitious attempt to solicit a brief from Saipem SPA, knowing that another firm was already handling the case. 

The letter also touted the supposed overriding influence of the firm’s principal partner, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who was the chairman of the Body of Benchers and a respected past President of the NBA.

The legal profession and the general public were disturbed by this infamous letter, and the NBA had hoped that the allegations were false. 

However, letters from Wole Olanipekun & Co. apologizing for Ogunde’s actions and disclaiming her confirmed the authenticity of the allegations.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

GOVERNMENT COLLEGE IBADAN OLD STUDENT DOCKED OVER ASSAULT ON FEMALE LAWYER

  An Iyaganku Chief Magistrate court has remanded in prison custody, a 59 year old ex-student of Government College Ibadan, Debo Adegbola over a three count charge bothering on indecent touching, sexual assault and breach of public peace. The accused, who is an automobile dealer who pleaded not guilty to the charges had on Saturday, 17th February, 2024, at a burial party in a popular event center along poly Eleyele road in Ibadan, indecently touched the victim in sensitive parts of her body publicly without her consent. Adebowale, was also said to have slapped the victim, who is an Ibadan based female legal practitioner countless number of times in the process of the assault. Still not satisfied, Debo Adegbola was alleged to have picked up a bottle and smashed it on the head of the victim, thereby breaking her skull in the process, causing her grievious injury leaving her in a pool of blood before she was rushed to a private hospital around Bodija area of Ibadan for first aid treat...

OYO ASSEMBLY TO CONFIRM JUSTICE TAJUDEEN ABDUL'GANIYU AS PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL

Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde has forwarded a letter requesting for the confirmation of appointment of Hon. Justice Tajudeen Muhammad Abdul Ganiyu as the President Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State to the State House of Assembly. The request follows the recommendation of Hon. Justice Tajudeen Muhammad Abdul Ganiyu to the National Judicial Council as President of the Court of Appeal by the Oyo State Judicial Service Commission. According to the letter, ” Consequent upon the request, the National Judicial Council has recommended Hon. Justice Tajudeen Muhammad Abdul Ganiyu as the new President of Oyo State Customary Court of Appeal.” The position became vacant due to the retirement of former President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Oyo State, Hon. Justice Moshood Akintunde Abass. BIOGRAPHY OF HON. JUSTICE TAJUDEEN MUHAMMAD ABDULGANIYU. His Lordship, Hon. Justice Tajudeen Muhammed Abdul Ganiyu was born on 19th January 1962.  He attended Bayero University, Kano between 1...

COURT FORFEIT TWO OIL BUNKERING VESSEL TO GOVERNMENT

Two Federal High Courts sitting in Abuja has ordered the forfeiture of MT Kali and MT Harbor Spirit, two bunkering vessels to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The two vessels were recently arrested by operatives of TSSNL in conjunction with the special task force set up by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla. Delivering an interim order of forfeiture in the case filed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, Justice J. K. Omotosho yesterday ordered that MT Harbor Spirit and its content be forfeited to the Federal Government pending when any party might show cause why the order should not be made final within six months. The police, in the charge between the IGP v. MT Kali & 22 others, had arraigned the vessel and its crew members before Justice J. O. Abdulmalik. The court ordered the sale of the stolen crude oil contained in the impounded ocean-going equipment by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and also directed that the p...