The Legal Practitioner and Disciplinary Committee has turned down a request to dismiss a petition against three lawyers, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN), Smart Ukpanah and Hope Onyekwere, over alleged misconduct.
During the sitting of the committee chaired by Mr. Kalu Umeh, (SAN), counsel to Ezechkwu, D. O. Okolo, prayed the court to dismiss the petition on the ground that the petitioner, Kingsley Aneubuna, has decided to withdraw the petition.
According to him, the petitioner forwarded a letter, notifying the committee of his intention to withdraw the petition. He therefore, urged the committee to dismiss the petition, more particularly, as the petitioner failed to show up at the hearing.
He said: “The petitioner forwarded a letter, notifying the committee of the intention to withdraw the petition. The petitioner is very much aware of the proceedings but is not before the panel.”
But the panel in its response, turned down the request, saying that the committee does not allow withdrawal of petitions already before it.
According to the committee, once issues have been joined, petitions can no longer be withdrawn.
The case was subsequently, adjourned to July 29, 2026, for definite hearing.
The petiton arose over a disputed property between Ngozika Nwaneri and Uche Okoli and his company, Multishelters Limited who are claimants in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1182/2018 – Uche Okoli & Ors V EFCC & Ors.
The subject matter of the suit is dispute over Plot No. 713, Cadastral Zone B14, Dutse District, Abuja, where the first respondent clients, Uche Okoli/Multishelters Limited and one Ngozika Nwaneri are laying claim to the land.
The petitioner was reportedly offered a terrace duplex in the disputed land in 2018, by Mr. Uche Okoli and Multishelters Limited for N51 million.
Before making payment, the petitioner and her lawyer reportedly enquired from Umeh, about the status of the property and was assured that it had a clean title that was unencumbered.
Consequent upon the assurances, the petitioner accepted the offer of the property and made the necessary payment and the parties signed agreement for the transaction.
The duration for completion of the house was about two years over which period the petitioner is expected to complete all payments.
The petitioner later, allegedly, noticed the slow pace of work on the property and demanded to know the reason but was assured that the property will still be delivered within the agreed timeline.
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In 2021, the petitioner discovered that there was litigation over the property in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1182/2018, which was filed by the Umeh in March 2018, where the court, presided over by Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf, granted an injunction in 2018.
The petitioner also discovered that she had been joined in the suit as a co-claimant, without her knowledge or consent, by one Smart Ukpanah, who filed court processes and represented her and other subscribers in court, allegedly without any authorization, and that one Hope Onyekwere, testified in court on behalf of the petitioner and others without their knowledge or authorization.
The petitioner later engaged a lawyer to approach the court and have the petitioner’s name struck out of the suit and thereafter filed a petition against the respondents before the committee in petition No. BB/LPDC/760/2022.
The petitioner prayed the committee to investigate the respondents who are all legal practitioners for misconduct.
