'Call Keyamo’s law firm to order,’ HURIWA writes NBA president

In a two-page letter to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud by its national cordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko on Friday, March 17, 2017, HURIWA alleged that the legal practice in Nigeria ‘has dovetailed into a near soap-box dramatization’ as it pertains to Keyamo’s law firm.

The letter reads:

“We write you this letter with profound sense of trepidation regarding the way and manner that the practice of law in Nigeria has dovetailed into a near soap-box dramatization particularly as it pertains to the law firm of Festus Keyamo.

“Sir you may have followed through series of sensational stories in the media generated by one Miss Stephanie Otobo who is identified as a Canada based Nigerian Musician and a client of Festus Keyamo law firm who has accused a religious figure Apostle Johnson Suleiman of indecent sexual liaison.

“As a seasoned ccivil rights organization that promotes democracy and respect for the rule of law in the Country we are worried about the collapse of ethical norms in the practice of law by some lawyers who rather than simply file their matter in courts of competent jurisdictions and allow the due process of the law to take its full course would prefer to litigate these issues in the court of public opinion to score cheap popularity and unfair advantage whenever such issues are heard by the presiding judge.

ALSO READ: Apostle Suleman demands apology, N1bn from Keyamo over sex scandal

“We have followed this unfortunate development aforementioned and we are deeply worried whether the law firm of Festus Keyamo may have violated section 25 of the Legal Practitioners Act, Chapter 207, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, which prohibits Lawyers from instigating litigation for their aggrandizement.

“Specifically, section 25(a) and (b)(ii) of the Legal Practitioners Act, Chapter 207, laws of the Federation of Nigeria States as follows: “(a) It is unprofessional conduct for a lawyer to proffer advice to bring a lawsuit, except in rare cases where ties of blood, relationship or trust may render it necessary, fomenting strife or instigating litigation is unprofessional conduct; or (b) (ii) seeking out claimants in respect of personal injuries and other causes of action as possible clients.

"Sir, in as much as we suspect that Apostle Johnson Suleman might just be a target from certain political hawks who are ethno-religious irredentists because of his far-reaching calls for self Defense against the rampaging attacks by the murderous Armed Fulani Terrorists, we also believe that he is totally innocent of those charges of sexual escapades as made sensationally by Miss Otobo until they are sufficiently proven by a competent court of law. We believe that both the accused and the accuser deserve the protection of the law and no one should be unduly defamed even before the matter is adjudicated.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that going by the essential Constitutional ingredient that recognizes all accused persons as innocent in the eye of the law until proven guilty, we see the preference of this lawyer (Festus Keyamo law firm) for public shows rather than follow the due process of the law. We think this unorthodox style is a breach of ethical standards of practice of law in any decent constitutional democracy.

“Specifically, Section 36(5) of the constitution states thus: ‘(5) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty; Provided that nothing in this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes upon any such person the burden of proving particular facts.”

“Kindly call the law firm of Festus Keyamo to order to comply by extant practice direction and obey simple ethics of the legal profession in Nigeria to stop the show of shame which is portraying legal practice as media 'thuggery'.”