THE BAR COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE NOTES OF CROOKED BARRISTERS!

BY   AHMAD MACKY

As a lawful abiding citizen of this country, I make an appeal to the prestigious institution of the BAR COUNCIL OF MAURITIUS to take severe sanction against crooked barristers if ever they are recommended by the Commissioners of the  Drug Commission Inquiry for prosecution of any criminal acts such as receiving fees and payments from drugs proceedings of their clients either incarcerated in prisons or still free outside.

The Commission of Inquiry on Drugs is the best thing this government has done to clean this country from the Mafias of Drugs who keep killing our children and other youngsters

All barristers who are under scrutiny by the Commission of Inquiry should be cross examined without leaving no stone unturned with their bank accounts either in this country or elsewhere to be checked and double checked. Even their unexplained wealth too should be investigated.

Today ,whether  we like it or not, we have so many barristers in this country who are unable to find jobs in the judiciary and most of them join politics as a mean to survive . Others, if they are lucky, manage to find jobs in big companies within the Private Sectors.

According to I. Curpen a legal observer for the media, there are more than 700 barristers on the roll at the present time and every year there are an intake of some 50 or more new entrants. The majority in the profession are young. Cut throat competition is bound to increase, bringing in new unwelcome and unwanted pressures to prevail.

We still have an awkward situation for some barristers who are unable to find jobs but try to earn money by hook or by crook from notorious clients of the Mafia type. This has become a habitual exercise by these barristers because they take the law of the land for granted without paying attention to the harm they could do to society by encouraging the infiltration of drugs in this country by their notorious clients.

It high time that neither the government nor the Bar Council should overlook the  actions of certain of our crooked barristers as this in time to come will bring our judiciary system to ill repute .

Crooked barristers, I have been told, are earning exorbitant sum of money as payments for their services by their notorious clients. It is about time to put a stop to that and if possible bring them back to justice, instead of condoning their actions. This is why the Bar Council should act and react upon the recommendation of the Commissioners of the Drug Commission Inquiry against barristers involved in such misdemeanour.

Some  of the most common questions people have about barristers are to do with fees and costs. It can sometimes be confusing how a barrister will be paid and what they will charge you for. The most important thing to know is that you are allowed to ask questions. If there is anything you do not understand about how you are going to be charged, talk to your lawyer about it. If you can’t afford the service of a barrister, you will be given Legal Aid  where a barrister will take your case free of charge subject to your means. But any complaint of a severe nature against a barrister, a client can always contact the bar council.

Our Bar council should not be regarded as a bull dog without teeth or gives the impression to the law abiding citizens that it is a white elephant institution which I know it is far from that. Let us hope it takes criminal action against any barristers being recommended for prosecutions by the Commission of the Drug Inquiry.

Besides , the bar council represents barristers in Mauritius. It promotes the Bar’s high quality specialist advocacy and advisory services, fair access to justice for all, the highest standards of ethics, equality and diversity across the profession, and the development of business opportunities for barristers at home and abroad.

We know that the main objective of a Commission of Inquiry is to find the truth and also to douse the flame of certain incident. It can only have the power to recommend prosecution for criminal cases. This is why the BAR council and other authorities should take advantage to sanction the offenders.