The Kuala Lumpur Court has detected touting activity involving unscrupulous individuals who act as intermediaries between lawyers and the courts to settle cases with a certain amount of payment.
They are targeting the public who are naive and less knowledgeable in court matters and procedures as well as those desperate for help to settle their cases.
More disappointing is the fact that these touts, who claim that they can help people detained by the authorities, impose charges arbitrarily.
Following the spread of the activity, the court has circulated a notice.
"The court has never appointed any agent or individual to settle cases on its behalf.
"The people are advised to report promptly to the court or the police if they are offered such services," said the notice put up in the court complex area.
A lawyer who declined to be named said these touts or runners would introduce the family members of the people charged in court to lawyers.
"They (touts) will state their price by convincing the public and ask the lawyers to settle the case by telling the lawyers that the person is their friend," he said.
Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani of Universiti Utara Malaysia's College of Law, Government and International Studies said touting would not only bring a bad image to the courts but also to judges and magistrates.
"The public will think that touts and lawyers have a good relationship or they have conspired with the judges or magistrates and prosecutors to settle the cases. The courts will be seen as not being transparent," he said.
Meanwhile, a deputy public prosecutor said touting activity where touts looked for customers on behalf of the lawyers was a clear violation of legal ethics.
She said lawyers who were involved in such activity would be liable to disciplinary action and have their practising certificate revoked.
The DPP also advised the less fortunate to get legal aid from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
- Bernama
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