Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Principal Judge, Dr Eliezer Feleshi, has urged all judges, magistrates and advocates to create friendly environment when hearing cases involving children, as the judiciary continues with efforts to improve working infrastructure in various parts of the country.
Dr Feleshi made the call in Iringa region on Tuesday when he was speaking at a meeting that brought together members of the Judicial Service Commission and other stakeholders of the judiciary.
The Principal Judge, who is also a Member of the Commission, pointed out that the law recognises the existence of juvenile courts, directing judges and magistrates to provide alternative chambers for hearing the cases in areas where there was not juvenile courts.
“Cases involving children should be heard in a friendly environment in accordance with the Law of the Child Act of 2011 and all its regulations as it stand,” Dr Feleshi is quoted as stressing in a statement issued by the Judiciary’s Information and Communication Unit yesterday.
He said all the new court buildings and those under construction in the country have taken into account the setting of pleasant atmosphere for children for hearing cases that involve them. He added that there are currently juvenile courts in some parts of the country including Mbeya and Dar es Salaam.
Speaking at the same meeting, the Attorney General, Prof Adelardus Kilangi, said establishing Juvenile Courts is not a matter of the judiciary alone but rather a matter of the entire Tanzanian community.
According to Prof Kilangi, juvenile courts are in few places in the country. In another development, the Attorney General has called on all justice stakeholders in the country to carry out their responsibilities effectively so that justice can be done in a timely manner.
“If we all want to see justice is done in time, let us refrain from doing anything in a subtle way that will ultimately lead to injustice,” stressed Prof Kilangi, who is also a member of the Commission.
Earlier, giving her contribution on the access to justice in the country, the Social Welfare Officer from the Iringa Regional Commissioner’s Office, Ms Josephine Mwaipopo, said that there are still a number of challenges despite the judiciary’s success in improving its services.
He explained that one of the challenges is lack of friendly environment when listening to cases involving children. Commission members continue with their tour of Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya and Songwe regions for the major objective of publicising the Commission and sensitizing members of the Regional and District Ethics Committees as well as Judicial stakeholders on various matters related with justice dispensation.
The Judicial Service Commission is established in accordance with Article 112 (1) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977 read together with the Judiciary Administration Act No. 4 of 2011. It was established for the purpose of overseeing the key issues pertaining to the Judiciary. Some of the functions of the Commission include advising the President on the appointment of High Court Judges, disciplinary matters, salaries and interests of judges, advising on the employment of magistrates and overseeing their discipline.
The members of the Commission include the Chief Justice of Tanzania (Chairman), the Attorney General, one Judge of the Court of Appeal appointed by the President, the Principal Judge of the High Court of Tanzania and two other members appointed by the President.
