The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has suspended a prominent Abuja-based lawyer, Everestus Chinedum Ugwuowo, from practicing law in Nigeria for a period of five years. The sanction comes after the committee found him guilty of professional misconduct involving a N29 million property transaction gone wrong.
Ugwuowo was indicted following a petition by Mrs. Grace Dauda, who accused him of fraudulently collecting N29 million in 2017 under the pretense of selling a four-bedroom duplex located at House No. 11, 662 Road, Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja. Shockingly, it was later revealed that the lawyer had no authorization from the actual property owner to conduct the sale.
In its Final Direction, the LPDC stated:
“We, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, hereby find the Respondent, Everestus Chinedu Ugwuowo, Esq., liable of infamous conduct in the course of his practice as a legal practitioner.”
The five-member panel, led by Justice Ishaq Bello, a former Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and LPDC Chairman, concluded that Ugwuowo’s conduct violated the professional code governing legal practitioners in Nigeria.
According to the committee, after receiving the payment on his firm’s letterhead on September 14, 2017, Ugwuowo became evasive and failed to either deliver the property or refund the money. The rightful owner of the house, one Ciroma Muhammed Umar, confirmed that he never gave anyone—including Ugwuowo—permission to sell the property.
The LPDC emphasized the trust Mrs. Dauda placed in Ugwuowo as a seasoned legal practitioner and Notary Public with over 15 years of experience. That trust, the committee said, was clearly abused.
In addition to the suspension, the LPDC ordered that Ugwuowo must refund the full amount of N29 million to Mrs. Dauda within 30 days.
“The Respondent is also directed to refund the sum of N29,000,000.00 (Twenty-Nine Million Naira) only to the Applicant within 30 days from the date of this Direction,” the order stated.
Furthermore, the committee directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to update the Roll of Legal Practitioners with the suspension and notify relevant authorities including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
This ruling marks a major stance by the LPDC in reinforcing ethics and discipline within the legal profession, especially in matters involving client trust and financial transactions.