Institute petitions LPPC, seeks Tonye Krukrubo esq delisted from SAN shortlist

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has been petitioned by the Institute of the Environment Limited, Abuja, seeking the body to delist a lawyer, Tonye Tombere Krukrubo, esq from the register of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for alleged conduct unbecoming of a lawyer.

The petition which was signed by the principal Consultant to the Institute, Onwusemeka Ogbowuokara, accused the lawyer of obstructing justice and frustrating out of Court settlement of disputes.

Copies of the petition sighted by our correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, prayed the LPPC that Mr Krukrubo Esq. who has been shortlisted as number 33 for consideration for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, should not be conferred with the rank for obvious reasons.

The petitioner also alleged that Mr Krukrubo, a lawyer at the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode should be held liable and punished for the death of 5 landlords of Ogba/Edema/Ndoni Oil & Gas Well-Head Landlords families.

According to the petition, Mr Krukrubo who represented Nigeria Agip Oil Company Ltd in SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/1148/2019 which was instituted Ogba/Edema/Ndoni Oil & Gas Well-Head Landlords families, was unethical and unprofessional in handling the case, as he inhibited and frustrated out of court settlement of the matter as well as inhibiting and obstructing an out of court settlement arrangement, and disrespecting court decisions.

The petitioners claimed inter alia, that Mr Krukrubo Esq failed to file a defence to the said suit at the Federal High Court, and also refused to honour the consent judgment of 23/07/2021 which he personally drew up and supervised.

They also accused him of fraudulently and unethically introducing conflicts to issues that had previously been settled such as size of land, as well as blatantly disobeying the order of the court for the judgement debtor to deposit the judgement sum in the court.

They further made allegations of improper service of court processes by Mr Krukrubo so as to ambush their lawyers, whilst subverting the exploration of an out of court settlement.

Recall that The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) had on “the 27th of June, 2022 released 129 Lawyers qualified for the award of the highly coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) 2022 and TONYE TOMBERE JENEWARI KRUKRUBO ESQ was shortlisted as No.33.”

Reacting to the petition through a telephone conversation by our correspondent on Sunday, Mr Tonye Krukrubo said,he doesn’t talk to journalists.

He said: “Please, I don’t talk to journalists, I beg.”