Shameful defrauding of the poor is being carried out not only by con-men and other common criminals; the legal profession also has ample representation in this particular rogues’ gallery.
From South Africa it’s reported that some 172 law firms defrauded usually poor, uneducated clients of Road Accident Fund compensation. Several experts estimate that this type of fraud runs as high as R8bn. The Road Accident Fund, underwritten by a special tax on petrol sales, has since collapsed through debt and maladministration.
A typical case is that of Hugh Pollard, a lawyer practising near Cape Town. He was struck off the Law Society Roll after being convicted of siphoning R1m off from pay-outs to road accident victims.
Unscrupulous lawyers, calling themselves ‘specialist attorneys’ find clients by trawling hospitals for accident victims. In some cases they pay commissions to nursing staff in return for tip-offs of injured accident victims.
An investigation into the actions of the 172 law firms by the Heath Special Investigations Unit has been completed but its findings will never be made known because of a successful appeal lodged in the Pretoria High Court by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

Read the full story in the January 2002 edition of African Business Magazine

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