Judicial disciplinary committee tries 120 lawyers for illegal misconduct in Delta.

No fewer than 120 Lawyers in Delta state are currently undergoing trial for alleged professional misconduct, Fresh Angle International can report.

The trial of the lawyers is coming on the heels of Judges being probed for alleged financial inducement, among others.

The State Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro while confirming the trial to News Men in Asaba, said the alleged offenders are being handled by Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, Body of Benchers of Nigeria. 

Justice Umukoro opined that he was not against petitions of merit against Judicial Officers, but frowned at lawyers who had formed the habit of writing frivolous petitions, only to withdraw same when proceeding commenced. In his words, “I am not against the petitions of merit against Judicial officers who breach the code of conduct judicial for officers, but I will not be happy to see frivolous petitions by lawyers, some are withdrawn before proceeding commences.”

He stated that over the years, lawyers in the state have formed the habit of writing petitions that are never proven. He disclosed that the lawyers currently standing trails would be given fair hearing by the committee, adding that the innovation expectedly, is the invaluable role of the lawyers as well as the ongoing sanity in the legal system.  

Meanwhile, the State Chief Judge has charged law students of the State to imbibe the virtue of honesty; humility and hard work to enable them succeed in their chosen career as well as become better citizens.

In another development, in a forum, the Delta State Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs has commended the State government for the ban of hand saw operators in the State and appealed for the enforcement of Forestry Laws to protect Forests and Designed Forest Reserves in parts of the State.

The position of the forum was contained in a Press Statement issued and endorsed by Okezi Odugala and Greg Osamenjor.

In a copy made available to Our Delta North Correspondent, the State NGOs frowned at the unsustainable deforestation that had been going on in the State due to the activities of environmentally unfriendly, profiteering timber merchants and cronies within and outside the State.

They noted that Deltans were already suffering severe environmental devastations from the activities of oil and gas exploration as well as environmental assault from exploitative timber merchants with no regard forestry protection regulations and laws would impede the implementation of the United Nations, UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, some of which deal with combating climate change and its impacts as well as the protection, restoration and promotion of sustainable use.  

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