Chief Justice to magistrates: Your priority should be on ethics
Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof Ibrahim Juma. Photo |File
What you need to know:
- During the event, Prof Juma said ethics was a core pillar in the provision of justice without which the fairness dispensed would be incomplete.
Dar es Salaam. Chief Justice (CJ), Prof Ibrahim Juma has on Saturday, July 16, said the Judiciary’s emphasis was for magistrates to abide by ethics and that accountability was another key element of the independence of judiciary.
He also insisted that magistrates are obliged to the realisation of the constitution’s commitment to build Tanzania that is free, just and peaceful.
Prof Juma said magistrates were challenged to address legal encounters citizens in rural areas who are forced to walk hundreds of kilometres seeking legal rights in primary courts.
The Head of the Judiciary was speaking in Dar es Salaam during the commissioning of 20 magistrates.
During the event, Prof Juma said ethics was a core pillar in the provision of justice without which the fairness dispensed would be incomplete.
“Therefore, our emphasis is ethics, ethics, and ethics. This is because despite having knowledge and being professionals, someone can divert the law and disrupt legal procedures,” he said.
He said the new magistrates are accountable to the country’s constitution, laws and ethics, noting that the freedom to dispense justice and ethics are inseparable.
The significance of ethics, he said, was a reason for the Judiciary Commission to set ethics committees in districts and regions levels.
“A committee has been formed to follow up on the ethics of judges too. Through a tracking system, violators are to be made accountable,” he said.
According to him, science and technology development has increased citizens' understanding of justice issues increasing their ability to judge and criticise decisions made.
“We need to be accurate in our decisions in order to avoid unnecessary criticisms era of social media interactions,” he said.
The CJ said the new magistrates will be provided with copies of Judiciary Codes of Ethics, directing them to read with other members of the family, (husbands and wives) in order to prevent violations.
“You are supposed to analyse and offload some of your friends and re-unite with them after 30 years of service because they may subject or link you to violations of these codes,” he said.
He cautioned them on the way they interact with the public including on social media, saying their life would be surrounded with loneliness.
