Dr Magufuli on the other hand expressed
concerns over what he described as ‘bad-blood’ between the Attorney
General’s Chamber and the office of the Director of Public Prosecution
(DPP), directing the two public institutions to mend their differences.
The hostility between the AG and DPP
offices, Dr Magufuli noted, was to blame for ‘watered down evidences’
presented before courts of law in which eventually the government, as a
plaintiff, loses cases to defendants.
“These cases have been pending since the
year 2005, the total amount involved is 7.5tri/-,” President Magufuli
remarked at the Law Day and new judiciary year in Dar es Salaam
yesterday. The day was marked under a theme, “Timely justice for
economic growth.
” The president argued that the colossal
amount being contested in court cases could have played a critical role
in improving social amenities for the benefits of all Tanzanians. “Even
the judiciary faces acute shortage of funds for development projects,
but these cases are still pending and as a result denying the country
revenues for growth,” he observed.
He added; “I am told that when these
cases are heard and ruling comes in favour of the government, the
offenders appeal at high courts and when they lose they turn to what is
described in court circles as ‘case parking.’
Dr Magufuli further pledged to present
details of the cases to the Acting Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof
Ibrahim Juma, for review and further actions. “I fail to understand
whether it is lack of communication between the judiciary and the
Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) or what, these revenues should be
claimed for development,” he noted with concerns. Stating further; “To
me, dispensation of justice means (among others) sourcing funds to serve
the people.”
Due to financial constraints, said the
president, only six of 80 judges who were on foreign visits last year
had their trips Dr Magufuli as well took issues with the police force
and the Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), which he
accused of sloppy investigations and at times destroying evidence.
“Why, for instance, should
investigations take long when a criminal has been apprehended red-handed
with illicit drugs or elephant tusks?” wondered President Magufuli,
adding: “I know these criminals have a lot of money which they use to
bribe the law enforcers to destroy exhibits...this should stop.” At the
event, Dr Magufuli urged the judiciary to use members of the law
enforcement agencies to provide security at its premises to reduce
redundant employees in the state organs.
The Acting CJ had earlier complained
that the judiciary faces a shortage of workers, stating that its current
workforce stand at 6,500. “Why should you hire guards for your
facilities and yet you can make use of the police?” he queried and
challenged the judiciary to reduce the number of redundant workers.
“The number of employees you have at the
moment exceeds by far the workforce of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Livestock and Fisheries.
” President Magufuli as well lashed at
the Tanzania Law Society (TLS), accusing it of embracing partisan
politics, urging the association to operate neutrally.
Present at the ceremony yesterday were
Speaker of the National Assembly Job Ndugai, Minister for Constitution
and Legal Affairs, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, Chief Secretary John Kijazi,
Principal Judge Ferdinand Wambali, as well as heads of security and
defence forces and other high ranking government officials
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