Rwanda's legal landscape is being marred by the presence of unqualified legal practitioners, often referred to as quack lawyers. These individuals, who lack the necessary accreditation from the Rwanda Bar Association (RBA), are taking advantage of vulnerable citizens, particularly those involved in traffic accidents. Traffic accident victims in Rwanda recounted their ordeal to The New Times recently, revealing that they are facing a double blow: the physical and emotional trauma of the accident itself, and the financial exploitation by unqualified legal practitioners. The victims revealed to this publication that the quack lawyers may have conspired with insurance companies, which resulted in them receiving unfair compensation. They also indicated that when hospitalised, unless you're well-versed with the claims process or have connections, it's hard to know who to trust. To protect the rights of Rwandan citizens, it's crucial to identify and deter the activities of quack lawyers. The association’s president, Moise Nkundabarashi, told this publication that it’s possible to identify these practitioners. Nkundabarashi explained how it is possible to differentiate between real lawyers and imposters. Actually, we have a website that clearly shows who is a lawyer and who is not,” he said adding that on that website, if you type in the name of a lawyer you can see contacts and status (if they are suspended or not). ALSO READ: How quack lawyers reap off traffic accident victims Measures to minimise malpractice According to the RBA President, being a member of the association does not guarantee immunity to misconduct. However, he said there were ways through which malpractice can be minimized. We have disbarred some of our members because of those kinds of practices, he revealed, adding that in the past three years, up to five were disbarred for lying to the public and practicing without being authorised. Nkundabarashi also pointed out that the association holds general meetings to address issues of malpractice. The disciplinary committee was set and its role, he said, is not only to sanction those involved but also to educate the public about the importance of integrity in the legal profession. ALSO READ: A call for ethical practice to save our nascent insurance sector We want the public to know that the Bar does not want to associate with members who engage in malpractice, he noted, disclosing that the association has established an inspection committee to monitor malpractice across the country. Whenever anyone is reported, we send the committee immediately to gather all the information related to the malpractice. Then they assist the disciplinary committee in taking necessary actions, he said. The inspection committee collaborates with other judicial bodies, including prosecutors, judges, Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) officers, and police officers, to share information and curb malpractice. It’s a channel that has been created to share information so each organ can act accordingly, he said, adding that all these measures are designed to ensure that people understand that you cannot engage in malpractice and get away with it. He emphasised that the RBA is committed to upholding professional standards and ensuring the public can trust the legal practitioners they work with.
