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Wednesday 22 April 2015

‘SWAZI CJ: IMPEACHMENT CHARGES MADE’

In addition to the arrest warrant for the Swaziland Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi, impeachment charges have been drawn up against him, according to a South African newspaper.

The Rand Daily Mail (RDM) reported on Wednesday (22 April 2015), ‘In addition to the arrest warrant for the Chief Justice, impeachment charges against Ramodibedi have also been prepared in terms that leave no doubt they are framed to provide evidence of impeachable misconduct.

‘The document, seen by the RDM, lists a number of graft-related charges of serious misbehaviour. The first charge cites the dismissed April 13 arrest warrant application by the Anti-Corruption Commission and his order that no other judge may deal with it except with his express permission.

‘The dossier, which is several pages long, includes allegations that he committed serious misbehaviour by unlawfully recording a phone conversation between himself and the Prime Minister.

‘He is further alleged to have committed serious misbehaviour and to have eroded public confidence in the country’s justice system, by allocating a recent case in which he was personally involved against the Swazi tax authorities, to Simelane.’

The newspaper added, ‘Other allegations against Ramodibedi include his handling of further cases in which he had a direct pecuniary interest, and where he specially appointed acting judges to preside.

‘It is also claimed that “on diverse occasions” he told his official driver to drive him out of the country, even though the driver had not been given government permission to leave. He further “caused his driver and security officers to incur and / or claim travel and subsistence allowances in respect of trips not authorised by government”.

‘He allegedly directed the registrar of the supreme court to submit a claim for remuneration and allowances for Supreme Court judges to which they were not entitled.

‘The list also includes a claim of sexual impropriety involving a member of his staff, in his office.’

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Ramodibedi on Friday (17 April 2015), but as of Wednesday he was still at his home in the Swazi capital Mbabane, refusing to give himself up to police officers who remained camped outside his gates.

See also

SWAZI MINISTER OF JUSTICE ARRESTED
CJ HAS HISTORY OF ABUSE OF POWER
CJ BID TO CANCEL OWN ARREST WARRANT
ARREST WARRANT FOR CHIEF JUSTICE
CJ AND JAILED JOURNALISTS

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