Solicitor General refuses to withdraw Lusungu Gondwe on errant lawyers’ list

The demand by  private practice lawyer Lusungu Gondwe to be removed  on the list of  dubious lawyers who fleece their clients’ money and charge exorbitant legal fees to enrich themselves has been rejected by Solicitor General Janet Chikaya Banda.

Gondwe was recently included on the list which was released by Malawi Law Society (MLS) disciplinary committee chaired by Banda, who is also Principal Secretary for Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

But the lawyer protested the inclusion of his name  and demanded  that MLS withdraw his name.

Through his lawyer Bright Theu, Gondwe argued that the naming and shaming of the lawyers was “unprocedural and in bad faith.”

However, the Solicitor General  has  strongly said Gondwe’s name cannot be withdrawn.

She said MLS were supposed to publish “all the cases we have dealt with and how we have dealt with them.”

The committee recommended suspension and prosecution for the young and upcoming lawyer Gondwe.

“Mr Lusungu Gondwe received K26,862,855.00 on behalf of his client but failed to remit K9,833,453.07. However, he subsequently remitted the money to the client,” reads the finding of the charge.

The committee has recommended for the disbarment and prosecution of lawyer Patron Ndhlovu for swindling clients’ money totaling to K11.9 million.

Another lawyer who the committee has recommended to disbar and be prosecuted is Kajani Banda who also received K1 million on behalf of his client but failed to remit it the client.

Two lawyers Mapemphero Manda and Lucious Kwakwala will be reprimanded for conducting themselves in a fraudulent and improper manner.

Veteran lawyer and legislator Edwin Banda received money on behalf of a client and underpaid the client and the committee has recommended that the disgraced lawyer pay back the balance and that he should be suspended.

Golden Mwangulube charged his client exorbitant legal fees and as a result the committee recommended that he should be reprimanded for this act.

A social analyst who did not want to be named described the development as just a tip of the icerberg.

“There are too many other lawyers who are involved in these kind of deals and many clients out there are suffering while they drive in expensive cars at the expense of the clients. MLS should dig more, they will find that half of these lawyers are crooked,” he said.

 

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