Prof Kamchedzera bemoans legal malpractices: ‘Malawi lawyers falling short on ethics’

Malawi is experiencing the dwindling of legal standards; this has been observed by Professor Garton Kamchedzera in the department of legal studies at Chancellor College, the constituent college of University of Malawi.

Prof Garton Kamchedzera
Prof Garton Kamchedzera

Kamchedzera said the dwindling of legal standards in country that is marred with greed and materialism.

He said legal practitioners are more interested in money making than serving the public who are in dilemma seeking justice.

Kamchedzera made the remarks Friday May 29, 2015 during the sensitisation conference in the capital Lilongwe which Malawi Law Society (MLC) organized for legal practitioners aimed at highlighting emerging issues in ethics for possible transacting of business with the public interest.

“It very embarrassing and hurting to hear that some of my former students are implicated in dubious deals which has lowered the public trust on legal practitioners in the country which is one of the oldest and noble professions worldwide due to greed and hungry to make money fast,” the law professor said.

He titled his presentation: “The salient features of ethics for the Malawian lawyers: Emerging issues in ethics”.

Kamchedzera said: “Legal professional is a calling from GOD; so, competency and compliance to ethical values complement the sector to serve the public. Legal practitioners are supposed to bid by that, otherwise, we are not helping the already rotten society which has lost its cultural values. Therefore, we must be vigilant in reversing the country’s moral values through our decisive attitudes and behaviour when executing our work”.

Of late there have been claims of ‘judge-shopping’ in the judiciary which newly confirmed Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda has vowed to deal with any attempts of ‘judge shopping’, saying the malpractice defeats the objective of justice .

Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale has since assured that government will protect its citizens from any injustices or legal malpractices.

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Joseph Banda
Joseph Banda
8 years ago

JUDGE SHOPPING IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF JUDGES FAILING TO MANAGE JUSTICE

Antchona
Antchona
8 years ago

I cannot trust any Malawian attorney with anything. They operate from run down offices and most of them cant speak fluently and are quite honestly a bunch of crooks. May be, this a sweeping statement but most of them are, and they need to polish up their image. Professionals in position of trust need to be honest and i agree with the professor that most of of our attorneys’ ethics fall so so short.

hawa
hawa
8 years ago

Revamp the system. They lack ethics because the system backs them all the time

Chikopa
Chikopa
8 years ago

Empty words from the Prof. Lawyers are the most pompous bastards on the land ati “Counsel” when greeting each other – za ziiii! Kufuna kubera wandu ati My Lord talking to fellow human being. Tiyeni tisiye za azungu ndikupanga zathu. Lawyers are known as womanisers and they need to steal money from clients to satisfy their stupid libido. Prof my advise to you is that Law Degree is property of UNIMA. You should set up a body to investigate bastards and confiscate your degrees so that they cannot practice law in Malawi – that is the only way to deal… Read more »

Shushe
8 years ago

Its not that our lawyers r poorly trained but they r just taking advantage of a disadvantaged society. They r well trained but irresponsible. Well trained but work mercilessly like vampires. Our lawyers r a butter cream but dealings stinks like pus from a chronic abscess. But they believ they can change bcoz they are emzymes fo social justice.

mbewe
8 years ago

Malawian lawyers are poorly trained and wrongly impacted with corriptly knowledge and that the result. Bwana Garton dont be surprised and push the brame to lawyers alone u huv to correct urself lecturers on the matter. Ur we truly training right material with ethical thinking. You are trying to shift the mess instead. Tackling real problem. In chichewa theres an adage that says chonona chimachokera ku dzira. In this case lecturers are eggs and these scripurous lawyers are the resilts from an egg. So please dont cheat the its u lecturer contrinutimg to this mess.

tchadiwiki
tchadiwiki
8 years ago

99% of the lawyers give the rest a bad name

Wisely
Wisely
8 years ago

Dr Kamchedzera, you are training thieves, the so called lawyers are oppressing the poor,the orphans and you are promoting corruption by protecting the corrupted politicians and the rich. Justice,justice chani apa, my foot.

observer
observer
8 years ago

The profession has really been muddied by crooked and greedy lawyers.Most of them earn a living by lying.Its no longer a calling,probably a calling from the devil.Most of the lawyers are indeed a shame in Malawi.There is no integrity in them.

Mama
Mama
8 years ago

Dear Dr. Kamchedzera, Here is my 2 penny worth. 1. Respect the law of demand and supply as my colleague already said. Speak to business majors they will enlighten you on this. 2. Adopt the 12 juror panel system. An average person in Malawi has a better sense of judgement than the so called lawyers. 3. Revisit your laws for uniformity especially regarding crimes that are frequently commited ie stealing, rape, murder, embezzlement. Make it easy for a lay man to know simple stuff like, confirmed rape on a minor, let’s say 10 years and that should be uniform for… Read more »

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