RULAAC also reeled off many other allegations against Mahmud, praying the LPPC to look into such infractions and take necessary remedial steps.
A group, Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre has petitioned the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) on behalf of a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja, Ezenwa Anumnu, who was falsely accused of attempted murder by another legal practitioner, Magaji Mahmud.
In the petition sent on Wednesday to the LPPC by the Executive Director of the RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the complainant asked that the matter be investigated and the legal status of the accuser, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, be reviewed.
Anumnu alleged that Mahmud had damaged his hard-earned reputation after the latter authored the publication of a defamatory article against him and caused it to be circulated on social media.
He also said Mahmud threatened to arrest him and took a step further by instigating a false petition against him by a Chinese national, Zhou Junpeng, who alleged that Anumnu attacked him.
According to Anumnu, after the threat by Mahmud, the police stormed his office on Monday to arrest him on trumped-up charges of attempted murder.
RULAAC also reeled off many other allegations against Mahmud, praying the LPPC to look into such infractions and take necessary remedial steps.
The group also appealed to the committee to look into the actions of the Senior Advocate, Mahmud 'with a view to ascertaining if it is in line with the prescribed code of behaviour and mete out necessary sanctions'.
The petition read, “Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) writes on behalf of Ezenwa Anumnu, legal Practitioner based in the Federal Capital Territory and past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Abuja.
”We write to complain about the unwholesome and less than acceptable activities of Messrs Magaji Mahmud (SAN) and acts very unbecoming of a legal practitioner especially that of a member of the inner bar and privileged statutory rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and to demand that his status be reviewed accordingly.
“Ezenwa Anumnu Informed us as follows: That while in the lawful conduct of his professional duties to his clients, Messrs Skill Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries Limited, Magaji Mahmud (SAN) contrived and authored the publication of a damaging and defamatory material against him and caused same to be circulated in the social media, therefore, damaging his hard-earned reputation.
“That the said Magaji Mahmud (SAN) further threatened to arrest him and instigated a false petition against him by one Zhou Junpeng, a Chinese national who alleged that he attacked him.
“That sequel upon the threat by Magaji Mahmud (SAN), the police stormed his office on Monday, 21st June 2021 with the intention of arresting him on trumped-up charges of attempted murder.
“That on the 17th of June, 2021, the learned senior advocate incited and procured the publication of a malicious material alleging that he attempted to rob and kill one Mr Zhou Junpeng, a Chinese national.
“He, in collaboration with one Hauwa Sherkarau and Ade Adesotoye caused the sharing of gruesome pictures and false story alleging that he and one Henry Ejike attempted to rob and kill the gentleman and inflicted grievous bodily harm on him.
“That as Hauwa Shekarau continued to share this falsehood publicly and was confronted with the veracity of the allegation and why she has not bothered to challenge the said Ezenwa Anumnu with such allegation since Ezenwa Anumnu is well known to her and members of the Bar, she responded that her information was credibly obtained from Magaji Mahmud (SAN). She further claimed that it is contained in a petition to NBA made by Magaji Mahmud SAN and which she was copied.
“That it is befuddling that a man of his stature will make such wicked and damaging allegation about a colleague without the professional courtesy of reaching out to the colleague for his side of the story and more so, for a person that is conferred with the privileged position of a senior advocate.
”That notwithstanding the callousness of the allegation meted on him and his colleague by the Learned Senior Advocate and his cohorts, he made calls and sent a text to the Senior Advocate seeking to meet and explain what transpired. He eventually met up with him and he said he had ordered his arrest without telling him what he did wrong.
“That on 22nd June 2021, in fulfilment of his threat, one Inspector Ibe from Squad X, Wuye under the FCT command visited his office asking about him and threatening to deal with him. He has neither previously met nor dealt with Inspector Ibe to deserve such hostility. This is notwithstanding that the case is currently being investigated by the DIG’s office.
“That he was made to understand that a fresh petition was lodged with X Squad, FCT Command where the learned silk exacts tremendous influence to do his bidding and he wonders why the duplicity when the Inspector General’s office is already handling the matter? Is it not one police force?
“That he is reliably informed that the learned Senior Advocate has concluded plans with the X Squad Police to trump up fictitious charges of attempted murder against him under a kangaroo process in violation of the rule of law.
“That he approached the High Court of the FCT for the enforcement of his Fundamental Human Rights and once the learned Silk was served, he further threatened that he will debar him from legal practice as he is a nobody and that even a restraining order of the court cannot stop him from dealing with him.
”Fortunately, this suit is sub judice in the High Court and the parties have already been served, yet in brazen disregard of these processes, the X Squad police in scant regards of the rule of law and under the prompting of the learned Senior Advocate is insisting he reports to them despite the fact that he is alleging that they want to breach his rights and that the court should come to his rescue.
”Our prayers, on behalf of Ezenwa Anumnu: The survival of the rule of law and indeed legal practice is predicated on the ability for senior lawyers and lawyers enjoying privileges in the legal practice to be above board and not engage in acts capable of bringing the practice of the legal profession to disrepute.
“When such acts happen, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee is mandated to look into such infractions and take necessary remedial steps. We appeal to this eminent committee to look into the acts of the Senior Advocate with a view to ascertaining if it is in line with the prescribed code of behaviour and mete out necessary sanctions.”