Before Their Lordships
Olabode Rhodes-Vivour - Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Musa Dattijo Muhammad - Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Helen Moronkeji Ogunwumiju - Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Abdu Aboki - Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Emmanuel Akomaye Agim - Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Between
GABRIEL GBENOBA, ESQ - APPELANT
And
1. LEGAL PRACTITIONERS DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
2. NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION - RESPONDENTS
HELEN MORONKEJI OGUNWUMIJU, J.S.C. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the Directions of the 1st Respondent delivered on 6th day of May, 2014 Coram: J.B. Daudu SAN (Chairman); Hon. Justice Z.A. Bulkachuwa Ag. PCA (as she was then was); Hon. Justice P.A. Galinje JCA; (as he then was) Hon Justice A.S. Dahiru, C. J. Sokoto; Hon. Justice Kulu Aliju, C.J Zamfara; Yusuf Ali SAN; Emmanuel C. Ukala SAN; R. A. Lawal Rabana SAN; Anthony Ani SAN, Attorney- General Enugu State and Tijjani Inuwa -Dutse Esq., wherein the Appellant was found guilty of infamous conduct as a legal practitioner contrary to Rules 1, 14, 16 & 21(1) (a) of the Legal Practitioners Act, as amended. The 1st Respondent also directed the Appellant to refund the disputed amount of money, publication of the directions in the newspapers was also ordered. The 1st Respondent also ordered that the name of the Appellant be struck out from the Roll of Legal Practitioners. Being dissatis ed with the directions of the 1st Respondent, the Appellant has appealed to this Court via an Amended Notice led on the 6th of August 2020 wherein he prays for orders allowing this appeal, setting aside the directions of the Committee, acquitting him and restoring his name in the Roll of Legal Practitioners of Nigeria.
The facts leading to this appeal are brie y as follows:
The Petitioner, Mrs Olatimbo Ayinde, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Of cer of Tubbs Marine & Energy Ltd on the 23rd of June 2008 sought the legal services of the Appellant in respect of the purchase of property at No. 38 Raymond Njoku Street, Ikoyi, Lagos which the company sought to purchase. The Appellant advised against the purchase but the petitioner went ahead to purchase the property. Thereafter, the Petitioner paid the Appellant to perfect the documents relating to the property after it was purchased through another legal practitioner.
