59 lawyers struck off roll of advocates, 32 suspended
What you need to know:
- While addressing 103 lawyers who were admitted into the role of Advocates by the Chief Justice (CJ) David Maraga at the Supreme Court, Mr Siganga said failure by lawyers to observe law and conduct led to move.
- Mr Siganga who represented the Attorney-General during the second admission to be presided over by the CJ, required lawyers to live up to the oath administered to them by communicating with their clients aptly to avoid complaints being raised against them.
A total of 59 lawyers have been struck off the roll of Advocates while 32 are on suspension, Advocates Complaints Commission Beuttah Siganga disclosed on Tuesday.
While addressing 103 lawyers who were admitted into the role of Advocates by the Chief Justice (CJ) David Maraga at the Supreme Court, Mr Siganga said failure by lawyers to observe law and conduct led to move.
“I urge all lawyers to ensure they uphold good practice and observe honesty to remain in the Roll of Advocates. Avoid misconduct which will render you a statistic,” Mr Siganga said.
He said the commission receives at least 700 claims against lawyers every year.
Mr Siganga who represented the Attorney-General during the second admission to be presided over by the CJ, required lawyers to live up to the oath administered to them by communicating with their clients aptly to avoid complaints being raised against them.
The President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Isaac Okero told the newly sworn advocates that “a lawyer’s primary raw material in the profession is integrity.”
Mr Okero said once a lawyer loses integrity then “he is left with nothing.”
ERODING FAST
Justice Maraga asked the lawyers to discharge their duties diligently and uphold civility which he said is eroding very fast between the bar and bench.
He said civility has been overtaken by an increase in antagonism that all members of the bar (lawyers) must recognise and asked the LSK leadership to deal with it.
The CJ lamented that the “escalating lack of civility everywhere has also spilled over, to an escalating extent, to include disrespect of the bench (judges) by the bar.”
He said this trend has led to members of the public to lose confidence in the judiciary.
Justice Maraga also announced that an Arbitration Division of the High Court will be launched April 2017.
Out of the 104 lawyers Gazetted to be sworn in only one Nyanchoka Brenda Victoria failed to turn up.
She had excused herself to travel abroad.
