By Olugbenga Salami
Institute of the Environment Limited, Abuja, has petitioned the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, LPPC, seeking the body to delist a lawyer, Tonye Tombere Krukrubo, Esq from the register of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN for alleged misconduct.
The petition, signed by the Principal Consultant to the Institute, Onwusemeka Ogbowuokara, accused Krukrubo, a lawyer at the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode 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 the lawyer, 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 Krukrubo should be held liable and punished for the death of five landlords of Ogba/Edema/Ndoni Oil & Gas Well-Head Landlords families.
According to the petition, 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 Krukrubo 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 Krukrubo so as to ambush their lawyers, whilst subverting the exploration of an out of court settlement.
The petitioners recalled that the LPPC had on June 27, 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, Krukrubo said,he doesn’t talk to journalists.
He said: “Please, I don’t talk to journalists, I beg.”
