Kiswahili For Lawyers: Lesson #2

Good Morning Class. Sorry for being late. I woke up in the morning and discovered that my gate had been stolen. Apparently the watchman had slept on his job. Don't be surprised. Gates can be stolen.


Er, in our previous class I had introduced to you our Kiswahili class. We said that criminology is elimu jinai, a criminal act is kosa la jinai and so many other things. ( The one whose phone is ringing, who do you think you are? We also had phones which were almost half the size of an inverter, foko jembe wewe!)

Before we were rudely interrupted, I was saying that my gate was stolen? Ok. I had said that. Now to serious matters.


In your lingual arsenal today, I would drum 10 new Kiswahili terms which would be of interest to you. Or disinterest. I really don't care.

1. Citation-- samasi; kuitwa shaurini, mtajo, kutaja.


2. High court-- mahakama kuu ( Onyango, did I hear you say you already know that? Stop getting in the way of other people's learning. Can you tell me what debeture is then?)

3. Debenture--dhamana ya ushirika.

4. Criminal procedure-- taratibu za kesi ya jinai

5. Convey-- hawilisha, fikisha, chukua

( Who is that asking the meaning of hawilisha? Hawilisha is hawilisha as in hawilisha this way, this way, hawilisha. Understood? Anyway, many are called to the legal profession, few are chosen.)

6. Commissioner for oaths-- kamishna wa kiapo

7. Collateral evidence-- ushahidi wa nyongeza

8. Affidavit--hati ya kiapo

9. Actus reus-- kitendo cha kihalifu

10. Accomplice-- mshiriki jinai

We still have time. We could continue but first any questions up to there?

( A question is asked: Sir, in your own estimation, to what extent is our learning of this language relevant in our application of law?

Response: Were you in our previous class? No? Where were you? I answered that question. Now that you have asked the question can I ask you a question? what are actio in rem and actio in personam? You don't know? You don't know? How is it possible that you don't know? You could ask me that question after waking me up at midnight yet still I will answer you. No wonder the suicide cases of lecturers have gone up. You are the causes!)


Let's meet in the next class.