LSB rallies its members to boycott Legal Year opening
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday January 30, 2024 08:31
The decision comes in the wake of a statement the LSB Council issued recently containing a list of complaints about a perceived communication breakdown within the Administration of Justice (AoJ). The LSB statement also cited "pressing issues" which it said had remained un-addressed for too long.
"In the first quarter of 2023, the Council met with the Chief Justice, former Chief Registrar, and a few judges of the High Court with a view to discuss issues of mutual interest and re-establish a relationship,” the Council stated.. "However, the promised quarterly meetings were consistently cancelled or postponed by the AoJ, leaving the Council uninformed about interventions promised to rectify pressing issues within the Judiciary.
” The Council states that the current state of the Judiciary is a disgrace and lamentable, highlighting various issues including continuous delays in pro deo fee payments, inordinate delays in default judgments, shortages of stationery at High Courts, and a system-wide failure in Case Management.
"The image of the Judiciary, and the public confidence in this arm of the State are at an all-time low," the Council asserts," alleging a state of crisis with applications against the Chief Justice, accusations of bribery, and judges writing judgments for others. "It is a truly deplorable situation, and we believe it is time for the Law Society to take strong steps to express our displeasure with the status quo of the AoJ for the good of the institution and the public that it serves." The Council has since tabled a motion before its members calling on them to boycott this year's official ceremony and instead host a parallel event at the KSB Secretariat on February 6, 2024, where the Chairman will address the members and discussions on the way forward take place. "A poll will be shared via email, through the Secretariat, to members in good standing to allow you to cast your vote on the proposed motion tabled by Council," read a statement from the council, adding that it shall proceed with the boycott only if the motion receives support from two-thirds of the membership.