Fighting for justice pays off for lawyer
MOTIVATED by his passion for helping people who could not afford legal representation to get justice, Legal Aid South Africa lawyer Emmanuel Chiliza’s decision to leave private practice and join Legal Aid has paid off.
The Durban-based attorney recently received the Lawyer of the Year Award: Higher Courts when Legal Aid SA hosted its annual National Achiever Awards function where star performers are recognised for their contribution to the success of the organisation.
Although his dream was to become a human rights lawyer, Chiliza found himself handling more criminal cases in the early days of his career.
“I found that most clients could not afford my fees. It killed me inside to be unable to assist them, but I could not sustain my practice without an income,” said Chiliza.
In 2007 he decided to join Legal Aid SA, a decision that allowed him to follow his passion for helping clients without worrying about their financial status. From Highflats on the South Coast, Chiliza said he found satisfaction knowing he did everything he could for his clients whether found innocent or guilty.
He singled out the case of murdered Musgrave widow Shakila Singh, where he represented Nonjabulo Mteki, Singh’s domestic worker who was accused of the murder and the robbery with aggravating circumstances.
She was acquitted of murder, escaping a life sentence, and was found guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances. She is serving a 15-year sentence.
“Although evidence suggested that she was part of the plot to rob her employer, it was evident that her intention was not to have her employer killed, but was part of the plan to rob her. I was satisfied that the court recognised this,” said Chiliza.
He said his job came with many hours of hard work, lots of reading and research.