Solicitor General of the Ministry of Justice
By Landing Ceesay
The Solicitor General of the Ministry of Justice, Hussein Thomasi has told the newly enrolled legal practitioners to preserve the integrity of their profession.
He advised them to refrain from engaging in “immoral wrongful behaviour and degrading or insulting manner on social media platforms”, while noting that they will want to share their professional opinions by engaging in legal discourse over different social media platforms.
“It has come to a point that it has become imperative to address the issue of social media. The power and the impact of social media in recent times cannot be overlooked or underestimated. Remember society is watching you and you have to set the tone on how you will be perceived throughout your career.
“We have my lord witnessed life-long careers and decades of unblemished integrity of prominent people in societies across the globe shattered within minutes by mishaps or misinformation on social media,” he told the newly enrolled legal practitioners.
The Solicitor General said he respectfully urge the enrollees to use the social media wisely and refrain from engaging in unnecessary insults and attacks on people and conducting themselves in any way that would undermine the integrity of the legal profession.
“We have recently been plaqued by people spreading disinformation online in dislike and disregard of members of our profession. They should be taken seriously. We have a collective responsibility, the Bar, the Bench and the Ministry of Justice to ensure that we collectively address this menace that has encroached on the profession and certainly undermined it in every aspect,” he said.
The Solicitor General made these remarks on Friday during the enrollment of legal practitioners by the General Legal Council of the Gambia.