GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 2434

PURSUANT to section 53 (9) of the Advocates Act and rule 12 (1) of the Advocates (Complaints Commission) Rules, 1991 it is notified for general information that from 1st January, 2016 to 31st March, 2016, the Commission received a total of two hundred and eighty (280) new complaints Out of which nineteen (19) were classified and files opened. Two hundred and sixty one (261) were submitted for further enquiry under Preliminary Enquiry Initiative. The nature of new complaints is as shown below:- Nature of complaints No. of complaints Failure to account Failure to keep client informed Nil Failure to render professional services 6 Withholding funds 11 Issuing Dishonored Cheques Nil (/) Delay Nil (g) Others 1 TOTAL 19 Complaints filed against advocates/firms of advocates were disposed of in the following manner:- Classified Complaints - No. of Complaints (a) Abandoned Nil (b) Settled 17 (c) Closed: no misconduct disclosed (d) Dismissed Nil (e) Withdrawn 1 (f) Rejected Nil TOTAL 19 Preliminary Enquiry (PE) complaints Total number of complaints subjected to Preliminary Enquiry (PE) was two hundred and sixty one (261). Total number of complaints settled under the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) were fifty five (55). The matters referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal (DT) during the same period for further action and in accordance with section 57(1) of the Advocates Act was one (1). During the same period a further thirty two (32) cases were disposed of as follows: No. of Complaints Advocates Struck Off the Roll of Advocates 3 Advocates suspended Advocates acquitted Settled (matters resolved) 20 Withdrawn ([) Dismissed 3 (g) Admonished (h)Fined 2 TOTAL 32 PURSUANT to section 53 (4) and in the spirit of section 53(5) of the Advocates Act,, fourteen (14) complaints were settled amicably at the Advocates' Complaints Commission. Dated the 4th April, 2016. BEAUTFAH SIGANGA, Chairman, Advocates Complaints Commission.