OUTSTANDING DISCIPLINARY CASES PENDING
The High Court of Solomon Islands. Photo credit: SIBC.
The judiciary is yet to deal with a number of outstanding disciplinary cases against legal practitioners dating back to 2005.
Speaking on behalf of the Attorney General’s office at the opening of the legal year yesterday, John Muria Junior said this is an urgent issue for the judiciary and the Solomon Islands Bar Association this year.
There are sixteen formal disciplinary charges awaiting hearing of which ten legal practitioners are involved.
“A lot of these cases are in respect of misconduct allegedly committed from 2005 up to 2015. They do not include cases which have been reported in 2016 in respect of which no investigation have yet been carried out.”
Mr Muria said the main reason these cases failed to progress was because of members of the legal profession, in particular members of the bar association, lack the interest to become members of the disciplinary committee.
“This is very unfortunate. In my view, it is the duty of each and every member of the legal profession who is concerned about the professional image, reputation and integrity of the legal profession
in Solomon Islands to ensure that lawyers who bring the profession into disrepute are dealt with accordingly and appropriately. By law, appropriate action can only be taken by the disciplinary committee.”