Friday, 5^th July 2024, the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD) students, staff, and alumni hosted a public lecture titled "International Anti-Corruption Court: Promise or Peril" and "Anti-Money Laundering Compliance for Legal Practitioners." The guest speaker was Dr. Prosper Simbarashe Maguchu, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Dr. Prosper Maguchu, a law expert, explained to participants the current state of corruption and money laundering crimes and how a lawyer should conduct themselves in combating them.

He emphasized the importance of vigilance in legal practice, stating, "If you have a client who approaches you for a certain service, for example to register a house or other property legally, like a legal practioner, you must be vigilant and know where they are getting the money from. It requires critical thinking, and if you find out anything suspicious, do not keep it to yourself. You should report it to the relevant authorities so they can be apprehended."

He clarified that while a lawyer must typically protect their client’s confidentiality, this obligation does not extend to clients involved in crimes. Dr. Maguchu highlighted that corruption and money laundering significantly undermine the economies of countries, particularly in Africa, where much of the wealth of government officials comes from corruption and other fraudulent activities, thus hindering their countries’ development.

Dr. Maguchu pointed out that corruption and money laundering crimes often involve powerful individuals in government, where even the judges in their countries do not have authority over them or they are not willing to bring them to justice. This is why there is a continued call for an international court to handle corruption crimes.

He stated, "Since 2012, there have been ongoing discussions about establishing an International Anti-Corruption Court. Many influential people have supported this idea, including heads of state and government, legal researchers, Nobel Peace Prize winners, and others."

Some of the students who attended the lecture said that they gained valuable insights, including how to handle clients who might have property acquired through fraudulent means and illegal activities.

Esperance Mutoni, a current student at ILPD, commented, "I gained a lot from the lecture, including learning how to handle clients who might have property acquired through fraudulent means and illegal activities."

Academic Dean at ILPD Mr. Viateur Bangayandusha said that public lectures are one of the teaching methods at ILPD, where legal experts such as professors from universities around the world, researchers, leaders and legal practitioners in law-related institutions come to teach students, complementing the regular curriculum.