GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 4632

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 July, 2020 to 30th September, 2020, the Commission received a total of two hundred (200) new complaints and submitted them for enquiry under the Preliminary Enquiry initiative. The current status of the above new complaints is as shown below: Status No. of Complaints withdrawn 1 Rejected 15 Undergoing Preliminary Enquiry and therefore carried over to the next quarter 184 2. The total number of complaints carried over to the period under review (that is 1st July, 2020 to 30th September, 2020) from previous quarters are four thousand three hundred and fifty-four (4354). 3. During the period under review a total of forty-five (45) complaints were classified and files opened. The nature of new complaints classified is as shown below: - Nature of Complaints No. of Complaints Failure to render professional services 9 Withholding funds 28 Failure to account 6 Neglecting client's case 1 Overcharging 1 TOTAL 45 4. Complaints filed against advocates/firms of advocates were disposed of in the following manner during the period under review: - (i) Preliminary Enquiry (PE) complaints: Total number of complaints closed under the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) initiative were one hundred and eighty-two (182). (ii) Classified Complaints: Total number of complaints finalised were forty three (43) whose details are as follows: Action No. of Complaints Abandoned 15 Rejected 16 Settled 6 No misconduct proved 4 Withdrawn 2 TOTAL 43 5. Pursuant to section 53 (4) and in the spirit of section 53 (5) of the Advocates Act, twenty-two (22) complaints were settled amicably at the Advocates' Complaints Commission. 6. The matters referred to the Disciplinary Committee during the same period for further action and in accordance with section 60 (1) of the Advocates Act were thirty-two (32). 7. During the period under review seven {7) complaints pending at the Disciplinary Committee were disposed of as follows-. - Action No. of Counts Settled 2 &upended 1 Withdrawn Dismissed 3 TOTAL 7 8. In summary: Description No. of Complaints Complaints brought forward to the period 1st July, 2020 to 30th September, 2020 from previous quarters Complaints received between 1st July, 2020 and 30th September, 2020 Total Complaints for the Period Under Review 4554 Files disposed of during the period under review 254 Total Pending Complaints As at 30th September, 2020 Dated the I st October, 2020. CAROLINE SARONI, Chairperson, Advocates Complaints Commission