*Orders ₦4.5 Refund To Client
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The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) of the Body of Benchers has suspended Lagos-based lawyer Prince Onwenieke Williams-Joel for two years after finding him guilty of professional misconduct for blending his legal practice with real estate business activities. The Committee also directed him to refund ₦4.5 million to his client, Mr. Uche C. Joseph Njoku, a real estate investor based in Hong Kong.
The ruling, delivered under case number BB/LPDC/390/2020, was chaired by Hon. Justice (Dr.) Ishaq Bello (OFR, Rtd). It concluded that Williams-Joel breached several provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC), including those relating to honesty, diligence, confidentiality, and accountability in handling client funds.
The complaint arose from allegations that Williams-Joel mismanaged ₦22.5 million entrusted to him for the survey and acquisition of lands in Akodo and Epe, Lagos State.
Njoku alleged that he made two payments totaling ₦22.5 million but did not receive the promised survey plans. He further claimed that the lawyer submitted a forged survey record, failed to render proper accounts, and operated a real estate firm Diaspora Lakeview Estate in violation of professional ethics.
The petitioner also accused Williams-Joel of breaching client confidentiality by filing petitions with law enforcement agencies without consent.
The case, which commenced on December 29, 2020, involved extensive documentation, affidavits, oral testimonies, and legal arguments. Both parties were cross-examined, and their respective counsel Emmanuel Oni, Esq. for the applicant and Abdulazeez Bello Pyawu, Esq. for the respondent submitted final written addresses.
After a detailed review, the LPDC found that Williams-Joel acted both as lawyer and agent, improperly combining legal representation with real estate dealings. The Committee held that he abused client trust, inflated project costs, submitted questionable documents, and engaged in real estate marketing activities contrary to professional standards—amounting to infamous conduct in a professional respect.
Although the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had recovered ₦5.5 million and retrieved some survey documents, the LPDC emphasized that partial restitution did not erase the ethical violations.
In its findings, the LPDC identified 11 specific breaches of the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) 2007, including:
- Inflating land acquisition costs by ₦10 million, thereby breaching Rule 23(1).
- Submitting false statements to the police, contrary to Rule 15(3)(g).
- Bringing disrepute to the legal profession by failing to refund excess funds (Rule 1).
- Failing to render accounts for ₦150 million received for property projects (Rule 23(2)).
- Filing a police report without client consultation, violating Rule 14(2)(a)(b).
- Claiming proprietary interest in client funds under investigation (Rule 17(3)).
- Disclosing confidential client information by involving third parties (Rule 19(1)(a)(b)).
- Accepting briefs beyond his competence without adequate preparation (Rule 16(1)(a)(b)).
- Lack of diligence in verifying survey documents (Rule 14(1)).
- Engaging in incompatible business—acting as agent and marketer in land sales (Rule 7(1)(2)).
- Aiding a non-lawyer in unauthorized legal practice (Rule 24).
The Committee rejected the respondent’s defences, including claims of administrative errors and name variations, describing them as untenable.
Consequently, the LPDC ordered:
- A two-year suspension of Prince Onwenieke Williams-Joel from legal practice.
- Refund of ₦4.5 million to Mr. Njoku, representing the unrecovered balance of client funds.
- Notification of the suspension to all relevant professional and regulatory bodies by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, in line with the Legal Practitioners Act (LPA).
The 24-page decision, certified on September 25, 2025, by Registrar Ziba B. Katung, is available at the LPDC Registry in Abuja.
MR.-UCHE-C.-JOSEPH-NJOKU-VS.-PRINCE-ONWENIEKE-WILLIAMS-FINAL-DIRECTION
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