The Advocates Complaints Commission (ACC) has expressed serious concern over the rise in of complaints by the public against lawyers who have gone rogue.
The ACC has embarked on a visit to the counties to sensitize the public on how to report the professional misconduct of lawyers for action.
ACC Chairperson Beauttah Siganga says the commission will not tire in dealing with rogue lawyers who are giving the legal profession a bad image.
Speaking in Mombasa on Tuesday during a legal aid sensitization meeting at the Kenya School of Government, Siganga noted that the commission receives 750 complaints annually against unscrupulous advocates.
“As we speak 65 lawyers remain struck off the roll of the advocates and 30 have been suspended by the advocates disciplinary tribunal pending outcomes of investigations,” he said.
Siganga implode lawyers to uphold good practice and observe honesty to remain in the roll of advocates.
The commission’s Chairperson warned that those who will be struck off the roll of advocates are not legally authorized to serve the public as barristers or solicitors.
He said the advocates tribunal act dictates that if a lawyer is found guilty of misconduct, he or she can be admonished, suspended for a period not exceeding five years, struck off the roll of advocates, ordered to pay a fine not exceeding Ksh. 1 million or ordered to reimburse the aggrieved person money not exceeding Ksh. 5 million.
The ACC official has advised the public to seek background information from their lawyers and understand the nature of their cases before filing them.
Zubeir Noor a commissioner with the WAKF Commission of Kenya, an Islamic body mandated to safeguards property owned by Muslims in the Country noted that large number of cases pending before the local courts were over land disputes and urged the judiciary to expedite them.
“Court cases are stalling in part due to the presence of corrupt and dishonest lawyers in the corridors of justice,” he said.