NBA says corruption thrives in legal profession practice
Corruption in the legal profession is now on full scale as some of our members serve as conduits for the exchange of money between judges and litigants.
The Adamawa branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has identified corruption as one of the major impediments hindering the legal profession and its practise in Nigeria.
Mr. Jibril Jimeta, Chairman of the organising committee of the just concluded Law Week organised by the branch, made the statement when he addressed a news conference in Yola.
“Corruption in the legal profession is now on full scale as some of our members serve as conduits for the exchange of money between judges and litigants,” he said.
“We are not measured by our success but by the number of us who proved to be deviants,” he added.
He said the legal profession had found itself in disarray due to breaches of the rules of professional conduct and other practises that were inimical to the profession.
“Giving clients false hopes on the true fate of their cases while some lawyers approach judges for bribes, among other things, was some of the bane in legal practise today.”
According to him, to redeem the image of the profession, legal practitioners need to engage themselves in capacity development, obey court orders, and strengthen the discipline mechanism at the NJC and the bar branches nationwide.
“The battered image of the profession can only be redeemed, strengthened, and cleaned by the legal practitioners themselves,” he said.
He advocated for a robust working relationship and synergy between the bar and the bench, saying the judiciary was the last hope of the common man.
Jimeta said an interactive session was held during the week, and issues affecting police duty and the Solicitor Scheme (PDSS) were thoroughly addressed.
He said issues like the gap between legal aid and lawyers, the actions of the police in taking the statement of a suspect, and the need for a good working relationship between lawyers and security agencies were also deliberated upon.
Supreme News reports that the week-long event featured the inauguration of the bar secretariat complex, prayers in mosques and churches, a football match, and dinner.