This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
On September 30, 2019, the Kenyan government introduced changes to the Finance Bill, 2019, requiring lawyers to report suspicious transactions to the authorities.
However, some lawyers have objected to the changes, suggesting that they risk being turned into security agents and that the move will get many law firms out of business.
But the author of the article argues that this is a cop-out and has no legal legs to stand on when the funds being protected have a whiff of fraud written all over them.
According to the author, lawyers have a moral and legal duty to do the right thing and report dubious deals to the authorities pronto.
The article also highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the legal profession, citing the example of Kenyan banks and foreign countries that have lent their support to streamline operations and counter money laundering.
The author concludes that the lawyers' objection to the changes is likely to stymie anti-corruption efforts for their own financial interests and blur the line between justice and crime.
