BoB Notifies Judiciary, From Supreme Court To Customary Courts, Of Cyprian Agwuna’s 24-Month Ban For Disrespecting Bench
The Body of Benchers Nigeria has issued a legal notice announcing the suspension of legal practitioner Cyprian Obiora Ifeanyi Agwuna from engaging in legal practice for two years. This notice, dated August 13, 2024, was signed by Hon. Justice Dr. Ishaq Bello, OFR, the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) concluded its case against Agwuna, identified by the enrolment number SCN005675, on February 20, 2024.
The findings led to a directive for the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to suspend Agwuna from legal practice for 24 months. This decision has been communicated to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and various other judicial officials across the country, including chief judges of state high courts, grand khadis of Sharia courts of appeal, and presidents of customary courts of appeal
the LPDC found Cyprian Obiora Ifeanyi Agwuna, Esq., a lawyer called to the Bar in 1983, guilty of infamous conduct for using derogatory language against Anambra Chief Magistrate Sumi Ijeamaka Anagbogu. The Committee has directed that Agwuna be suspended from the Roll of Legal Practitioners for 24 months, effective February 20, 2024.
The case against Agwuna was initiated by Peter Okoye Nwankwo, the nominal complainant in a criminal trial where Agwuna was representing the defendants. Nwankwo accused Agwuna of employing dilatory tactics to prolong the hearing and determination of the criminal trial, which he considered unethical and unprofessional.
The Committee found that Agwuna had authored a letter to the Chief Judge of Anambra State, copying the presiding Magistrate, in which he used derogatory and insulting language to describe the Magistrate. The letter accused the Magistrate of being financially compromised by the complainant, shamelessly telling lies, and lacking understanding of legal implications.
While the Committee noted that a lawyer has the liberty to handle a case in the best interest of their client, it emphasized that the Bar must always accord due respect to the Bench. The Committee found Agwuna’s language in the letter to be demeaning to the Magistrate and in gross violation of Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2007.
The Committee held that if Agwuna had a proper ground for complaint against the Magistrate, he should have made his complaint to the appropriate authorities, such as the Anambra State Judicial Service Commission, rather than insulting and disrespecting the judicial officer.
Consequently, the LPDC found Agwuna guilty of breaching the provisions of Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2007, and directed that he be suspended from practicing law for 24 months. The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court has been instructed to effect the suspension order and make a notation of the direction against Agwuna’s name on the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
