GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 4209

PURSUANT to section 53 (9) of the Advocates Act and 12 (1) of the Advocates (Complaints commission) Rules 1991. It is notified for general information that from 1st January, 2011 to 31st March, 2011, the Commission received a total of three hundred and seventy (370) new complaints out of which ninety-three (93) were classified and files opened. Two hundred and seventy-seven (277) were submitted for further enquiry under preliminary initiative. 2. The nature of new complaints is as shown below: Nature of complaints No. of complaints (a) Failure to account 14 (b) Failure to keep client informed 6 (c) Failure to render professional services 25 (d) Withholding funds 37 (e) Issuing dishonored cheques 2 (f) Delay Nil (g) Overcharging 2 (h) Others 7 TOTAL 93 3. Complaints filed against advocates/firms of advocates were disposed of in the following manner: Classified Complaints No. of Complaints (a) Abandoned 34 (b) Settled 20 (c) Closed: No misconduct disclosed 30 (d) Dismissed 3 (e) Withdrawn 5 (f) Advocates deceased 4 (g) Others 3 TOTAL 99 Preliminary Enquiry (PE) complaints Total number of complaints subjected to preliminary Enquiry (PE) was two hundred and seventy-seven (277). Total number of complaints settled under the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) was one hundred and twenty-one (121). 4. The matters referred to the Disciplinary Committee (DC) during the same period for further action and in accordance with section 57(1) of the Advocates act were sixty four (64). 5. During the same period a further thirty five (35) cases were disposed of as follows: No. of Complaints (a) Advocates struck off the Roll of Advocates Nil (b) Advocates suspended 1 (c) Advocates acquitted Nil (d) Settled (matters resolved) 21 (e) Withdrawn 2 (f) Dismissed 10 (g) Others 1 TOTAL 35 6. In pursuant to section 53 (4) and in the spirit of section 53 (5) of the advocates Act, forty three (43) complaints were settled amicably at the Advocates Complaints Commission. Dated the 5th April, 2011. J. N. KING‘ARUI, Chairman.