The Rwanda Bar Association, on Thursday, August 7, sanctioned 21 lawyers for failing to comply with the association’s regulations, with penalties ranging from a suspension of six months and 24 months.

One lawyer was permanently disbarred. The list of all sanctioned lawyers was not made public.

According to the association, the sanctions follow decisions made by the Lawyers’ Disciplinary Commission, which met in July to review and rule on cases involving professional misconduct.

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Moise Nkundabarashi, president of the Rwanda Bar Association said most of the sanctioned lawyers failed to meet the association’s requirements, including the payment of mandatory contributions to the association’s fund.

"The contribution equals Rwf700,000, paid in two installments, Rwf400,000 by December 31, 2025 and the remaining amount by May 31,” Nkundabarashi told The New Times on Friday.

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"This arrangement is designed to give them enough time to make the payments. Delays constitute professional misconduct as outlined in the association’s rules and regulations.”

He explained that compliance checks are conducted once the deadlines elapse.

"Those who have not paid are reminded two or three times via text messages and emails. We keep records of these reminders to ensure members are given every chance to comply before sanctions are imposed,” he said.

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"When someone still fails to comply, the committee calls them to explain. If they have no valid reason, they are sanctioned. We understand that some may face genuine challenges, which is why the payment system is made as flexible as possible,” he added.

He stated that some cases involve more serious breaches, resulting in harsher punishments. The lawyer who was disbarred, he said, was found guilty of misappropriating funds in an expropriation case.

"For example, if a person is to receive Rwf10 million in compensation for their land, and the lawyer takes Rwf8 million, that is unacceptable,” he said.

Nkundabarashi stressed that disciplinary matters are taken very seriously.

"We want lawyers to be true professionals,” he said, urging clients to exercise due diligence when working with legal representatives.