CJ warns against bad conduct by legal practitioners

Dodoma.The Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof Ibrahim Juma, has warned state attorneys and magistrates against engaging in unethical conduct particularly bribe taking.

Prof Juma made the statement on Thursday, August 30 while inaugurating the second conference of state attorneys who are meeting to discuss various issues related to their role in case handling.

He said there were cases that showed how such conduct among legal practitioners resulted in the fall of states.

Prof Juma, moreover,advised that remuneration packages of state attorneys and magistrates should be improved in order to help them fight the temptations of taking bribes.

He said, this was important given the crucial roles lawyers play when drafting government contracts, often worth billions of money.

“There’ll be no mercy on anyone engaging in corrupt practices,” he warned.

For his part, the Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi, said the legal profession lacks proper mechanism to coordinate lawyers who are in public service.

“That is happening right now, however the law provided that all state attorney shall be reporting to the Attorney General Chamber,” said the minister.

According to him, this was caused by administrative challenges as a result the state lawyers feeling like they were isolated from the public service system.