Justice Jimi Bada, chairman of the three-man Panel of Appeal in Ibadan, on Tuesday ordered a lawyer, Abiodun Amole, to apologise to the court for misleading it into dismissing a case another counsel was appearing for before the panel.
Mr Bada who admonished Mr Amole, said: ”you misled the court into dismissing a suit that does not belong to you and breached the code of conduct of legal profession.
“You have no reason to be in the legal profession and deserve to be in prison for swearing to an affidavit and making it look as if the panel made a mistake.
“There is an occasion to teach a lesson and occasion to correct and we are going to teach you a lesson to serve as deterrent to others,” the judge said.
The judge said:”no lawyer has done what Amole did in the last 40 years of my practice and over 20 years of being on the bench”.
He urged lawyers to be diligent and professional, so as not to lose their wigs and be sent to prison.
Mr Amole, pleaded to the court and admitted that he made a mistake.
“I made a mistake for calling for the dismissal of suit number CA /Ib/566/2014 instead of CA /Ib/560/2014.
“My lord, I have no defence to justify my action. I pleaded with the court to accept my plea,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that other counsel present in court also pleaded with the court on behalf of Amole to temper justice with mercy.
NAN
