By Isaac Zulu
Law Association of Zambia president Lungisani Zulu say the Association is working closely with the Financial Intelligence Centre to come up with mechanisms that will ensure that lawyers are not used as conduits for the commission of financial crimes.
And Zulu has said that politicians should not be allowed to lead the Constitutional review process.
Speaking when he featured on ZNBC TV programme dubbed: “Sunday Interview,” Zulu said that the legal profession should not be used to disadvantage society.
He explained that some lawyers working in certain law firms lack the capacity to investigate and handle financial crimes and that is why some of them have found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
“It is regrettable that some lawyers have been cited in the Financial Intelligence Centre report for allegedly engaging in fraud and financial crimes. Yes, I have read the FIC report and one or two law firms have been cited. And I must say that the legal profession should not be used to disadvantage society,” Zulu explained during the TV programme monitored by Daily media. “Most of the lawyers in those law firms lack capacity to handle financial crimes and other suspicious transactions. So there are are two or three members of the Association that might have found themselves on the wrong side of the law.”
He said that the Law Association of Zambia is committed to supporting the UPND government’s fight against corruption.
“We are interested in seeing to it that society is rid of corruption. But there is need also to build capacity in institutions mandated to pursue corruption cases. They need more resources and manpower. And the Law Association of Zambia is more than ready to help out,” Zulu said.
And Zulu said that periodical Constitutional reviews are important for national development because society is dynamic, but was quick to state that politicians should not be allowed to lead the process.
“We cannot discard the whole Constitution because the current Constitution contains provisions that have made our democracy better. And all we need is to build on those areas. You know these Constitutional reviews are important for national development because of dynamics in society,” Zulu explained. “And people, the general populace, should be allowed to be part of the Constitution making process. The number of Constitutional reforms that have been conducted in Zambia are demonstrative of the problem in the Constitution review process. We have been having situations where politicians take a leading role in the Constitution review processes… politicians should only play a facilitative role by garnering support from the electorate. And as an Association, we feel that for as long as the people are not carried along both in the review process and content so that their views and aspirations are taken into consideration, it will be difficult to have a Constitution that will stand a test of time.”
On concerns by members of the public regarding the continued low pass rate at the Zambia Institute for Advanced Legal Education, Zulu said that ZIALE has its own set standards for one to be admitted to the bar.
He explained that those standards are similar to what is obtaining in other jurisdictions outside Zambia, saying that failure to adhere to the the qualification requirements for one to be admitted to the bar would compromise the competence of lawyers that would be churned out in society.
Zulu explained that the Law Association of Zambia would like to see more lawyers admitted to the bar in to enhance access to justice among the general citizenry.
Zulu said that currently there are about 2,300 practicing lawyers in the country against the entire population of Zambia.
