Nigeria’s Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has withdrawn the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title and all the privileges attached to it from Mr. Joseph Nwobike, a Nigerian lawyer sentenced to 30 days imprisonment for perverting the course of justice.
Chief registrar of Nigerian Supreme Court and secretary to the committee, Hadizatu Mustapha, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday that the committee temporarily revokes the title following Nwobike’s conviction by a court.
“This is to notify the general public that the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee at its 132nd plenary session which was held today, the 21st day of June 2018; has suspended Joseph Nwobike Esq. from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (and all other privileges attached to the rank) in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 25(2) of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee Guidelines,” the statement read.
“This is sequel to his conviction by the Lagos State High Court of Justice for perversion of justice in charge No.LD/2516C/2016-FRN V. Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN and pending the investigation by the sub-committee setup by the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, the Rt. Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mr Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen GCON.”
In April, a Lagos State high court convicted the lawyer on 12 counts charge bordering on perversion of justice and sentenced him to prison without an option of fine.