Lawyers charged FCFA 6 million as swearing-in fees

Over 60 Lawyers in Kumba, Meme Division of the Southwest Region, who were declared successful in the oral part of the 2014 Bar examination have been charged FCFA 6 million as fees for their swearing- in and entertainment ceremony.

The young lawyers, The Post leant, are expected to each contribute FCFA 100,000 before the arrangements for their swearing in ceremonies will commence.

Some of the budding lawyers who spoke to The Post said the amount charged was too much for them.

The young lawyers, who all refused to be named, stated that they are yet to recover from the expenditures incurred in the written and oral part of the examinations.

According to them, they see the amount as too much for a single swearing-in and entertainment.

One of the lawyers said; “There is no way we can be asked to pay FCFA 100, 000 in Kumba, whereas our colleagues in Buea are paying FCFA 50,000 for the same exercise.”

Others on their part failed to make a distinction as to whether the money asked include a compulsory FCFA 84,000 Bar dues for two years, which is normally required as part of the swearing-in ritual.

The new breed of lawyers are pointing accusing fingers at some of their senior colleagues for trying to raise money in preparation for campaigns into the Bar Council, as elections have been slated for late November in Buea.

Attempts by The Post to get Barrister Divine Mboke, representative of the Bar Council in Kumba to comment on the issue were futile.