Principal Judge Fakih Jundu has warned magistrates and other judicial officers who have been tarnishing the name of the Judiciary by soliciting and receiving bribes from litigants.
Principal Judge Fakih Jundu
“This is intolerable behaviour. Those who will be caught will be dealt with accordingly,” the principal judge told the ‘Daily News’ at the weekend shortly after officiating a swearing in ceremony of newly appointed High Court Registrar, Mwanza Registry, Emanuel Mrangu.
Judge Jundu pointed out that the Judiciary was currently improving the mechanism to monitor the conduct of judicial officers to ensure they adhere to available professional conducts when performing their respective duties.
“The Judiciary Service Commission is strengthening its capacity to deal with professional code of conduct for judicial officers. We will take serious measures against those who have been tarnishing the integrity of the Judiciary,” he warned.
Judge Jundu seized the opportunity to express his gratitude on substantial work that has been done by judges and magistrates to phase out cases that have been pending in courts for so long.
“We gave a directive last year that in each court registry all cases that have been pending for more than five years should be disposed of within two years and for new case should not be allowed to remain in registry for a period of two years. I am told a substantial work has been done so far,” he said.
The principal judge explained that they were currently compiling statistics to show how such directive has been implemented and promised to inform members of the public in the near future on the progress that has been made so far.
In a bid to improve service delivery and timely justice to the people, Judge Jundu reminded registrars in all court registries in the country to work hard as they were key persons connecting the people and the judiciary.
The newly appointed registrar promised to work hard and stick to guidelines of duties in order to serve the people diligently.
But he was quick to point out that working as a team with other key stakeholders was necessary.
Mr Mrangu said that the Judiciary would not record any notable success or records without been accorded cooperation from other key partners in the dispensation of justice, notably the prosecution and investigative agencies, like the police, among others.
By FAUSTINE KAPAMA, Tanzania Daily News
