The Malawi Law Society – MLS has recommended enactment of Judicial Service Commission Act inorder to hold Judicial officers accountable.
The Society made the proposal during a meeting with Parliamentary legal affairs committee that is looking into the functionality of the Judicial Service Commission.
The inquiry follows complaints and a motion that was adopted in Parliament in August questioning conduct of Judge Ken Manda in the case of Alfred Gangata versus Geleson Mkweza.
Speaking to MIJ Online,Patrick Mpaka, Malawi Law Society President said, in the current state of affairs, the Judicial Service Commission is ill suited to serve its constitutional purpose hence need for a legislation to regulate judicial officers.
According to Mpaka, despite being independent, the judicially must also be accountable and there should be a regulator where people can take their complaints to, if they have issues with a judicial officer.
Mpaka has therefore called on Parliament in collaboration with ministry of Justice and Law commission to treat the matter with a significant degree of urgency inorder to better the functionality of judicial service commission.
In his response, Peter Dimba Chairperson for Legal affairs committee of Parliament said the committee will push for enactment of the judicial service Act to address the challenges where people have no where to take their complaints to when a Judge is in the wrong
