Friday, February 3, 2017

JSC fires 61 officials as 45 others suspended

FAUSTINE KAPAMA
THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has taken to task 106 judicial officers, including dismissing 61 court officials and several others reprimanded for professional misconduct, the Acting Chief Justice (CJ), Professor Ibrahim Juma, said yesterday.

Speaking during the Law Day celebrations held at national level in Dar es Salaam, Prof Juma further disclosed that other 28 officials have been suspended for various allegations while six other officers have been given strong warning for similar behaviour.
He was briefing President John Magufuli, who attended the celebrations as chief guest, on performance of the judiciary for the 2015/2016 financial year, further reporting that the JSC has also stripped two officials of their positions.
According to him, the JSC has also extended reflection period for six officials while three others were reinstated into their respective employment opportunities, pointing out that such a move was part of transformation of the Judiciary as a people-centred institution.
Briefing the president on the Judiciary’s Five-Year Strategic 2015/16-2019/20 Plan, the Acting CJ pointed out that they were determined to administer justice to all through timely provision of quality, fair, transparent and impartial decisions.
Prof Juma further pointed out that they were also focusing on a number of areas, notably governance, accountability and management of resources, access to justice and expeditiousness and public trust and stakeholders’ engagement.
“The thrust of the Judiciary for the next five years is to ensure citizen-centric service delivery, which requires change in mind set, ethical behaviour, performance orientation and accountability among the judiciary staff,” he said.
Regarding progress on determination of cases, the acting CJ told the president at the well-attended occasion that the Judiciary has succeeded in accomplishing its mission of disposing of cases at various levels by 101 per cent.
He explained that for the year ending December 2016, a total of 276,147 cases were registered in different registries in the country, but 279,331 cases were determined with the same period. He pointed out that of 56,531 of backload received cases, only 3,618 were still pending.
The Acting CJ assured the president and the entire community that the Judiciary would continue with its constitutional duty of dispensing justice timely and providing conditions that are accessible to justice for all without any kind of discrimination.
Last year, the Judiciary set a target for each resident and district magistrate to determine 20 cases a year and each magistrate at primary court level was to determine 260 cases yearly. But 508 magistrates were later reprimanded for underperformed for having handling below 100 cases.
It was announced that names for 508 magistrates were forwarded to the disciplinary committee for actions for having determined cases below the set standards. The Judiciary directed all judge in charges of each zone to serve notices to the magistrates concerned to show cause why disciplinary actions should not be taken against them.

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