Legal Committee LPDC Suspends Lawyer Marcel Udebuani Over Corruption, Mismanagement Of Client’s Property
According to the facts presented before the committee, Ms. Okpala granted Udebuani a power of attorney in 2016 to manage her property, with an agreed annual commission of 15% on rental income.
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has slammed a five-year suspension on a controversial lawyer, Barrister Marcel Chukwuma Udebuani, widely known as “Agams,” for professional misconduct, corruption, and betraying the ethical standards of the legal profession.
In a judgment delivered under Suit No. BB/LPDC/530/2021, the LPDC, chaired by Hon. Justice Dr. Ishaq Bello, OFR, ruled that Udebuani grossly misused his client’s trust, diverted funds, and illegally altered her property without authorization.
The matter was brought before the LPDC by Ms. Cecilia Okpala, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian, who accused Udebuani of abuse of power, financial misappropriation, and unlawful alteration of her property located at Plot 96, Katampe Extension, Abuja.
According to the facts presented before the committee, Ms. Okpala granted Udebuani a power of attorney in 2016 to manage her property, with an agreed annual commission of 15% on rental income.
However, between 2017 and 2019, the respondent failed to remit rent, citing tenant default and legal expenses incurred without prior written consent.
In 2019, after Okpala spent N3.8 million renovating the property, Udebuani informed her that a new tenant, Alhaji Abubakar Abdulhameed, had agreed to pay N3 million in annual rent and invest ₦10 million to add toilets to the buildings.
Okpala, expressing concerns, objected to further alterations, but Udebuani assured her that no significant changes would occur.
However, to her shock, upon returning from the UK in November 2019, Okpala discovered that her original structures had been demolished and entirely new buildings erected — a development carried out without her consent.
Further investigation revealed that Udebuani had entered into a 5-year lease agreement with Alhaji Abdulhameed for the sum of ₦30 million, none of which was fully accounted for.
Okpala stated that Udebuani only remitted ₦2.5 million of the agreed ₦3 million rent in 2019, with no explanation for the ₦500,000 shortfall.
Her demand for a detailed account of funds received from the lease, property alterations, and management from 2016 to 2019 went unanswered. In response, she revoked the power of attorney and filed a formal petition against the lawyer.
The LPDC found Udebuani guilty of gross professional misconduct, financial misappropriation, and unauthorized demolition of the client’s property — a violation of both the trust reposed in him and the rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners.
The Committee, comprising Hon. Justice O.O. Daniel-Kalio (OFR), Hon. Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, Dr. Ben Uruchi Odoh (Attorney General, Ebonyi State), and Fidelis B. Mnyim (Attorney General, Benue State), unanimously ruled that Udebuani’s actions amounted to a “gross betrayal of the noble legal profession.”
In addition to the five-year suspension, the LPDC directed Barrister Udebuani to render a full account of all funds received on behalf of Ms. Okpala since 2019 within 30 days of the ruling.
The Applicant claims that the Respondent, despite multiple demands, has failed to cooperate or comply with her instructions and has been avoiding her agents. She states that her tenant, Alh. Abubakar Abdullhameed, filed a suit at the FCT High Court on July 3, 2024, contesting her attempt to recover possession of her property after a five-year lease ended.
The tenant argues he is entitled to an additional five-year lease at ₦3 million per annum.
The Respondent, who is a witness in that suit, claims he acted within his duties and is unjustly facing disciplinary proceedings.
The Respondent acknowledges knowing the Applicant and claims he loyally managed her property at Plot 96, No. 1, Maccido Dalhatu, Katampe Extension, Abuja, after being granted a Power of Attorney in 2016.
He alleges that the Applicant sought his help because her former lawyer, Chris Okpala, was attempting to fraudulently take over the property.
He further states the Applicant informed him that Mr. Okpala had only paid her ₦500,000 as rent.
He insists the property is in a diplomatic, not commercial, zone, and he had no knowledge of specific rent payments as he did not place the tenants.
He was orally instructed to evict tenants and renovate the building to maintain its diplomatic status.
The Respondent claims no written instruction was initially provided, and the Applicant refused to put terms like commission or rent collection in writing. He denies collecting rent or being paid for his services, emphasizing that his role was solely to evict tenants.
He also clarifies that all efforts to manage the property—including hiring Barr. Paschal Obiora to serve statutory notices—were done per the Applicant’s request.
He denies all allegations suggesting he mishandled the property or defied her instructions.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Committee dated 20th June 2025, it stated that, sequel to the foregoing, the Respondent was found guilty of breaching the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, particularly Rules 1, 14(1), and 23(2) of the RPC, 2023.
The statement read, “We, the legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, hereby find the Respondent, MARCEL DIM-UDEBUANI, ESQ. with enrolment number SCN60515, guilty of infamous conduct in the course of performance of his duty as a legal practitioner contrary to Rules 1, 14(1), and 23(2) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Legal Practitioners Act, Cap L11, LFN 2004 (as amended).
“We are satisfied that the proper Order to make in the circumstances is to DIRECT as follows: That the Respondent, MARCEL DIM-UDEBUANI, ESQ. be and is hereby suspended from the Roll of Legal Practitioners and from engaging in the business of practicing law for a period of FIVE YEARS from the date of this DIRECTION for his participation in the suit filed by the Lessee against the Applicant.
“The Respondent, MARCEL DIM-UDEBUANI, ESQ. is also directed to render an account of his management of the Applicant’s property from 2019 when he executed the lease agreement with the Lessee till 2020 when he was disengaged from the management of the Applicant’s property located at Plot 96 No.1 Maccido Dalhatu, Katampe Extension, Abuja within 30 days from the date of this Direction.
“The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court is hereby DIRECTED to effect the above Order and to make a notation of this DIRECTION against the name of MARCEL DIM-UDEBUANI, ESQ. on the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
“This ORDER shall forthwith be brought to the attention of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court. We further ORDER that NOTICE of this DIRECTION be immediately given and brought to the attention of the Respondent, the presence of the Respondent at the proceedings of this Committee where this DIRECTION is read shall be deemed to be sufficient personal service, by publication in any edition of the PUNCH Newspaper and also by publication in the Federal Gazette as required by law.”
They added that the copies of this DIRECTION must be served on the President of the Nigerian Bar Association who shall take steps to notify the General Council of the Bar, National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, and other organs of the Nigerian Bar Association.
“We also DIRECT that the entire judgment encompassing this DIRECTION shall be brought to the attention of their Lordships, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President of the Court of Appeal, President of the National Industrial Court, the Honourable Chief Judge of the High Court of FCT, Federal High Court and the High Courts of all other States of the Federation, the Grand Khadis and Presidents of the Customary Courts of Appeal of all States of the Federation and FCT, Sharia and Customary Courts of all the States of the Federation and heads of all other Courts wherein a legal practitioner is entitled to audience by virtue of his office as legal practitioner in Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and the entire Attorneys General of the remaining 36 States of the Federation.
“The Order shall also be served on the Inspector General of Police, Commissioners of Police in the other States of the Federation.
“This shall be the DIRECTION of the Committee,” they added.
