Posted by MALACHY UZENDU, Abuja on
FORMER Chief of General Staff (CGS) in the Sani Abacha regime, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, is being tried by the Body of Benchers over an alleged N5 million fraud he was accused of committing as a practising lawyers many years ago and faces a life ban, if found guilty.
•From Law practice
FORMER Chief of General Staff (CGS) in the Sani Abacha regime, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, is being tried by the Body of Benchers over an alleged N5 million fraud he was accused of committing as a practising lawyers many years ago and faces a life ban, if found guilty.
But the Body of Benchers Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee which tried the former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, for allegedly impersonating legal luminary, Chief F.R.A. Williams (SAN) by purportedly handling the brief for him without his authorisation, banned him (Obi-Okoye) for three years from practice.
Giving an update on the activities of the disciplinary committee, its secretary, Alhaji Umar Madama told newsmen in Abuja that Gen. Diya faces a life ban from legal practice if the allegation that he failed to remit N5 million rent made to his former landlords in Lagos, is proven true.
He accused Gen. Diya of representing the alleged landlord as solicitor but failed to complete his own side of the obligation.
Diya's trial followed the conviction of one Mr Charles Okike, another lawyer, in Kogi State, who was yesterday found guilty of the offence which the former CGS is being accused.
The committee chaired by former Attorney-General of the Federation, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim (SAN) also tried and banned Chief Obi-Okoye, for three years from legal practice.
Chief Okoye was found guilty of impersonating ailing Chief Williams (SAN) in court, by purportedly holding the brief of the legal icon without his anthorisation.
Apart from the three year ban, Obi-Okoye was reprimanded for "infamous conduct," with a strong warning which was copied to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court.
Members of the Disciplinary Panel are the president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Uman Abdullahi, Tanko Mohammed, Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Lawal Gunmi and the Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF) Chief Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN).
Others are the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Timothy Oyeyipo, former AGF, Mr Clement Akpamgbo (SAN), Chief B. O. Benso (SAN), Mr Emmanuel Toro (SAN) and Chief A. Nwanodi Madama the secretary while the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was represented by Mr Dele Oye.
Out of about 18 cases disposed off by the committee, Mr. Daniel Adok, a lawyer in Plateau State, was banned from practising as a lawyer for life.
He was fund guilty of deceiving one of his clients into making a deposit in court, using a fake court order of the state's high court.
Another lawyer, Mr Echetn Burman, was suspended for five years for being disrespectful to Judges and Magistrates in Edo State.
Ejike Ukaegbu from Abia State was reprimanded for "infamous conduct" and plotting to fraudulently take possession of a piece of property belonging to the Ndukwe Ogbaisi family of Igbere in Abia State.
The political crises in Anambra State also recured before the committee as three lawyers, Mr. Nelson Achukwu a suspended member of the state assembly as well as one Mr Tagbo Ike and Oyibo Chukwu, were also being tried.
The trial was dragged before the committee for obtaining the order the now dismissed justice Stanley Nnaji of Enugu State that led to the withdrawal of Gov. Chris Ngige's police security.
Committee scribe, Alhaji Madama also told journalists that since 2001, the body had received 52 petitions out of which many had been disposed off.