Lawyers are not liars

Frank Kigenza is an independent Lawyer and lecturer at the National University of Rwanda. He says the statement, ‘Lawyers are liars’ is made by people to undermine the profession. As a professional lawyer Kigenza explains why this statement is not justified. “I will try to be objective about the statement, Lawyers do determine a lot in society especially regarding humanity issues. There is a batch of jokes about the profession but that doesn’t mean that they are true,” Kigenza explained. He said lawyers are considered to be liars because their mindsets are not like that of ordinary people. “For instance, if John steals Stella‘s phone, even if she saw him taking it but she does not have any proof that the phone is hers, she will definitely lose the case. The Law states that if someone has a moveable object, ownership comes from the mere fact that they possess it. If John can prove that the phone is his with evidence such as a receipt, I can go on and take on the case and win it. In such a scenario, Stella will consider me a liar yet I used legal thinking to argue her out,” Kigenza explained. He stressed that to win a case, it’s important to have evidence produced before the judge to give his verdict. “Before we practice the profession, we make an oath to serve the truth and only the truth. Ethically I’m supposed to uphold and respect this oath,” he said. The soft spoken Kigenza was born on November 22nd, 1977 in Kampala, Uganda. He attended Nakivubo Blue Primary School before coming back to Rwanda were he pursued both his O’ and A’ Level education at Rwanda International Academy. “I pursed a Bachelors Degree in law at the National University of Rwanda, Butare and I was retained as a lecture after graduating. Given my Anglophone background, the course was challenging because 70 percent of it was conducted in French, however, I had to grasp all the professions jargons,” Kigenza explains. While growing up he had mixed feelings of what he would become in future. He originally wanted to become an Economist because he loved the Stock Exchange Market programmes he routinely watched on Television. “The lawyer me, developed later in time when I was in Form three. John Grecian‘s novels such as ‘Client’ and my favorite one ‘Street Lawyer’ inspired me into becoming a lawyer. The television series commonly known as ‘Inspector Derrick’ also played a big role by instilling in me the desire to become a lawyer,” Kigenza emphasized. “It was amusing how Inspector Derrick was able to solve cases that seemed hard and controversial so I focus on criminal justice.“Before I take on a case, I first screen my client by trying to find out the background of their case. The client should give me evidence which is arguable in court, that is how I have been able to win most of my cases,” Kigenza said. His most memorable Fool’s Day experience was during his high school days. “My best friend in high school, on ‘Fools day’ came and told me that my sister had come to visit me and that she was in the Deputy Headmaster’s office. Although the Deputy’s office was a no go area for me because of my regular escapades from school, I overcame my fears and went to see my sister to see what she had brought for me, but she sister was nowhere to be seen,” Kigenza narrates. Instead he got punished by the Deputy headmaster for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. “I was told to slash a big chunk of land before midday. From that day on I’m always been conscious about Fools Day,” he explained. Dorau20@yahoo.co.uk