A Sapele-based legal practitioner, Mr. Ese Gam Owe, has been petitioned before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) in Abuja over allegations of professional misconduct, including inciting his clients to disobey a subsisting court order and snatching a brief from a professional colleague.
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The petition, filed by Prince Harrison Toritseju and Mr. Joseph Edemayibo, arises from a contentious legal battle over the leadership of the Koko Community Management Committee in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State.
The controversy stems from events following a town hall meeting in Koko, where Owe allegedly advised his clients to proceed with actions that were explicitly prohibited by an interim court order. On December 18, 2024, Hon. Justice A.A. Ighoverio of the High Court in Koko, in Suit No. KHC/12/2024 (Prince Harrison Toritseju & Anor v. Incorporated Trustees, Iweroko and Ameren Ugogomeje Family Trust, Koko & Ors), issued an interim injunction restraining all parties from taking steps to constitute new leadership for the Koko Community Management Authority (KCMA) or altering the status quo ante bellum, pending the determination of a motion on notice. This order was tied to enforcing a prior consent judgment from 1985 (Suit No. S/72/85).
According to the petitioners, Owe, a lawyer with over 30 years at the bar, attended a town hall meeting on February 11, 2025, immediately after a court session where he had assured the judge that his clients would comply with the order. He allegedly told the attendees that no injunction existed. A video clip, submitted as evidence, reportedly shows Owe, dressed in his lawyer’s coat, stating in pidgin English: “Injunction no dey anywhere again… anything una want to do, dem never restrain anybody, so you can go ahead.” The petitioners claim that Owe’s advice led to family meetings to nominate new KCMA executives, in direct violation of the court’s directive.
The petition, dated March 20, 2025, and received by the LPDC on April 4, 2025 (Case No. BB/LPDC/27/2025), accuses Owe of breaching multiple provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) 2023, including Articles 1, 30, 31, and 39(2). These rules mandate that lawyers uphold the rule of law, respect the court, and refrain from conduct that obstructs justice or instigates strife. The applicants argue that Owe’s actions desecrated the court’s authority, brought the legal profession into disrepute, and risked inciting civil unrest in Koko.
In addition to the above allegations, the petitioners assert that Owe unethically snatched the brief of another lawyer, Wilson Alatsha Esq., who represents Edward Daibo (the 3rd defendant in the suit). On March 19, 2025, Alatsha had written to Daibo, warning against violating the court order, and attached Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience). Owe, aware of Alatsha’s representation, responded on March 20, 2025, claiming that no injunction existed and attaching court proceedings to support his stance—actions that the petitioners consider a breach of professional courtesy.
The legal dispute traces back to Suit No. KHC/12/2024, where the claimants seek to enforce the 1985 judgment and prevent the defendants from installing new KCMA executives. Despite the interim order issued by Justice Ighoverio on December 18, 2024, and reiterated on February 11, 2025, cautioning all parties against holding elections or swearing-in new officials until the motion is heard on April 8, 2025, the petitioners allege that Owe’s clients and co-defendants proceeded with the nomination process, prompting the filing of Forms 48 and 49 (Notice to Show Cause for Committal) against those involved.
In their affidavit, the applicants, led by Prince Toritseju—a businessman and Koko community leader—submitted exhibits including the court order (Exhibit A), Alatsha’s letter (Exhibit B), Owe’s response (Exhibit C), and the video clip. They urge the LPDC to impose sanctions on Owe for what they describe as “grievous professional misconduct.”
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Owe, based at No. 207(B) New Ogorode Road, Sapele, with Supreme Court Enrolment No. SCN025302, has yet to respond publicly to the allegations. The LPDC has not yet scheduled a hearing date for the petition, leaving the matter pending as the legal and Koko communities await further developments.
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