People’s Federation for National Peace and Development (PEFENAP) has commended Malawi’s Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda for facilitating the disbarment of lawyer Maxwell Tembo.
On Wednesday, Chief Justice Rezin Mzikamanda stopped Tembo of Bullen and Associates from practicing as a lawyer after Chakaka Nyirenda petitioned him for the disbarment for embezzling money over K6 million meant for his clients.
Reacting to the development, Edward Chaka who is the Executive Director for PEFENAP, said the AG has made a very good decision as it is necessary to debar all lawyers who bring the profession into disrepute.
The Executive Director continued by saying that such legal practitioners must be disbarred and publicised to protect citizens and clients from being duped which he said will in turn help in maintaining lawyers’ public trust.
Chaka told this publication that his organization has been receiving several complaints from the general public that they were being threatened by some legal practitioners for claiming their money in a won court case.
“We applaud the Attorney General and the Chief Justice Rezin Mzikamanda for a bold step towards achieving sanity in the Malawi Justice System. As an organisation we have received complaints from the public regarding some legal private practitioners.
“Some members of community are threatened to have their property seized and sold by Legal practitioners, something that we as Civil Society Organisation does not expect from the frontliners of human rights promotion, strengthening and protection,” said Chaka.
Chaka further indicated that he is so hopeful that the step taken by the AG, will extend to the Legal Aid Bureau, government institution lawyers whom he said are still throwing dust at the legal system in the country. He added that his organization will keep an open eye on such issues.
“Peace cannot prevail if our citizens lose trust in our law enforcement agencies and try to seek justice elsewhere. So, PEFENAP with technical and financial support from its international partners will continue monitoring government institutions Satisfactory Service Delivery (SSD),” he added.
He concluded by saying that PEFENAP believes that peace is not just the absence of wars, violence and hostilities, but it is a a situation where citizens have equal access to social justice human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Mzikamanda is on Friday next week expected to deliver his ruling on lawyers; Richard Katsiche, Nicely Msowoya and Julius Nyambo who were disciplined by the Attorney and found guilty of committing a similar offense.
