ID :
142505
Fri, 09/17/2010 - 20:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/142505
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIAN BAR COUNCIL URGES POLICE TO TAKE STERN ACTION AGAINST ERRANT LAWYERS
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- The Bar Council has called on the police to
take stern action against lawyers involved in any criminal breach of trust or
money laundering cases.
Its president K. Ragunath said each year, 30 to 40 lawyers were struck off the
list by the Bar Council from practising law and police reports lodged, but there
were no further action by police.
"In the Bar Council, we have a strong and independent disciplinary board that
comes down very hard on errant lawyers. But that is the only power we have. We
do not have the power to send someone to prison.
"Our issue is that police action is very slow in such cases. We are prepared to
assist the police in any formal action they want to take against errant
lawyers," he told reporters after the launching of Phase 6: The Judiciary and
the Malaysia Day Street Festival, here, Thursday.
He was commenting on Melaka state Chief Minister Ali Rustam's suggestion for the
Bar Council to audit its members to ensure that they have not committed any
crime.
Ali made the proposal following the gruesome murders of cosmetic queen Datuk
Sosilawati Lawiya and three others said to have been masterminded by two lawyer
brothers.
Ragunath also urged members of the media and the public to give space to the
police to complete their investigation and not make any accusation until those
detained are proven guilty.
"We are concerned that the allegations made in the media may jeopardise the
investigation and prejudice those detained. If you want convictions, you must
allow the police a bit of space to complete their investigation. If it
(investigation) is hazy, a situation may arise where the person charged is
acquitted on technicality," he said.
It was reported that Sosilawati and the three others went missing on Aug 30
after they went to meet the two lawyer brothers in Banting in Selangor state
over a land deal.
The police investigation later revealed that the four were murdered before their
bodies were burnt and the ashes scattered in streams in the area.
The four were allegedly murdered in a poultry farm in Sungai Gadung, near
Tanjung Sepat, here which is owned by one of the lawyers, said to be a Datuk.
-- BERNAMA
take stern action against lawyers involved in any criminal breach of trust or
money laundering cases.
Its president K. Ragunath said each year, 30 to 40 lawyers were struck off the
list by the Bar Council from practising law and police reports lodged, but there
were no further action by police.
"In the Bar Council, we have a strong and independent disciplinary board that
comes down very hard on errant lawyers. But that is the only power we have. We
do not have the power to send someone to prison.
"Our issue is that police action is very slow in such cases. We are prepared to
assist the police in any formal action they want to take against errant
lawyers," he told reporters after the launching of Phase 6: The Judiciary and
the Malaysia Day Street Festival, here, Thursday.
He was commenting on Melaka state Chief Minister Ali Rustam's suggestion for the
Bar Council to audit its members to ensure that they have not committed any
crime.
Ali made the proposal following the gruesome murders of cosmetic queen Datuk
Sosilawati Lawiya and three others said to have been masterminded by two lawyer
brothers.
Ragunath also urged members of the media and the public to give space to the
police to complete their investigation and not make any accusation until those
detained are proven guilty.
"We are concerned that the allegations made in the media may jeopardise the
investigation and prejudice those detained. If you want convictions, you must
allow the police a bit of space to complete their investigation. If it
(investigation) is hazy, a situation may arise where the person charged is
acquitted on technicality," he said.
It was reported that Sosilawati and the three others went missing on Aug 30
after they went to meet the two lawyer brothers in Banting in Selangor state
over a land deal.
The police investigation later revealed that the four were murdered before their
bodies were burnt and the ashes scattered in streams in the area.
The four were allegedly murdered in a poultry farm in Sungai Gadung, near
Tanjung Sepat, here which is owned by one of the lawyers, said to be a Datuk.
-- BERNAMA
