Senior Lawyer Suspended For Insulting Magistrate: LPDC Takes Swift Action
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) of the Body of Benchers has issued a hefty penalty against a senior lawyer, Cyprian Obiora Ifeanyi Agwuna, Esq., for making derogatory remarks against an Anambra Chief Magistrate.
In a direction dated February 20, 2024, the LPDC ordered Agwuna’s suspension from practicing law for a period of 24 months. This decision comes in response to a complaint filed by Peter Okoye Nwankwo in October 2020, regarding the lawyer’s conduct in a criminal case.
The LPDC found Agwuna guilty of breaching Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 by failing to treat the presiding Magistrate with respect. The lawyer had authored documents containing disparaging remarks about the Magistrate, questioning their integrity and professionalism.
The committee noted that despite Agwuna’s dissatisfaction with the Magistrate’s rulings, his use of derogatory language was unacceptable and disrespectful. Such behavior, the committee emphasized, tarnishes the reputation of the legal profession and undermines public trust in the judiciary.
In addition to the suspension, the LPDC directed that the decision be communicated to various legal bodies and authorities, including the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, and the General Council of the Bar. The LPDC also ordered the publication of the decision in THE PUNCH newspaper and instructed that it be served on all heads of courts, the Attorney-General of the Federal and State Attorneys-General, as well as the Inspector General of Police and all State Commissioners.
This decisive action by the LPDC underscores the importance of upholding professional standards and ethical conduct within the legal profession, serving as a warning to legal practitioners against engaging in disrespectful behavior towards judicial officers.
