LSK warns lawyers against sexual harassment of juniors amid surge in cases

Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo. [File, Standard]

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has warned lawyers against violating its Sexual Harassment and Anti-Bullying policy after more cases of sexual exploitation were reported recently, mainly by juniors.

In a statement released on Monday, President Faith Odhiambo noted a growing trend where senior lawyers continued to make sexual advances to associates, interns, and pupils who were vulnerable to their motives.

Most of the complaints came from those attached to law firms and non-governmental organisations (NGO).

“These complaints indicate a worrying trend of abuse of power by senior colleagues against junior, vulnerable members of the profession,” said Odhiambo.

“From the outset, we voice our unequivocal condemnation of such conduct and assert that the same offends the ethical standards of the legal profession and amounts to both professional misconduct and criminal conduct on the part of proven perpetrators,” she added.

LSK’s interventions follow confessions of alleged victims who shared their experiences on social media, explaining how professional engagements quickly morphed into unwanted intimate moments.

According to Odhiambo, the Advocates' Disputes Tribunal, chaired by Senior Counsel Taib Ali Taib, received 22 complaints against one alleged perpetrator but dropped the case, citing a lack of jurisdiction to handle the matter and instead prescribed criminal prosecution.

Further, she urged victims to report incidents to the police, in addition to the internal protocol, assuring them of the Society’s support in their quest for justice.

“The Law Society of Kenya, through the Gender Committee, remains fully committed to supporting victims who pursue either or both avenues and will render all necessary assistance in facilitating accountability,” Odhiambo stated.

In the meantime, the sector regulator says it has launched awareness campaigns about its Sexual Harassment and Anti-Bullying policy and will also provide counselling to affected members.

Additionally, it has enlisted the services of FIDA-Kenya, which is expected to probe the reported cases, while the security of victims who come forward to aid the investigations will be left to the Witness Protection Agency  (WPA).

Despite the gravity of the matter, most victims have chosen silence. 21 out of 22 alleged victims in the matter tabled before the Gender Committee declined requests to join the complaint.