GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 251

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 October, 2014 to 31st December, 2014, the commission received a total of one hundred and ninety-seven (197) new complaints out of which thrty-six (36) were classified and files opened. One hundred and sixty-one (161) were submitted for further enquiry under preliminary enquiry initiative. 2. The nature of new complaints is as shown below: Nature of complaints No. of complaints (a) Failure to account 10 (b) Failure to keep client informed Nil (c) Failure to render professional services 9 (d) Withholding funds 13 (e) Issuing Dishonored Cheques 2 (f) Delay Nil (g) Withholding documents 1 (h) Others 1 TOTAL 36 3. Complaints filed against advocates/firms of advocates were disposed of in the following manner: Classified Complaints No. of Complaints (a) Abandoned 1 (b) Settled 4 (c) Closed: no misconduct disclosed 3 (d) Dismissed 2 (e) Withdrawn Nil (f) Others Nil TOTAL 10 Preliminary Enquiry (PE) complaints  Total number of complaints subjected to Preliminary Enquiry (PE) was one hundred and sixty-one (161).  Total number of complaints settled under the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) was fifty-eight (58). 4. The matters referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal (DT) during the same period for further action and in accordance with section 57 (1) of the Advocates Act were three (3). 5. During the same period a further twenty-five (25) cases were disposed of as follows: No. of Complaints (a) Advocates struck off the Roll of Advocates 1 (b) Advocates suspended 4 (c) Advocates acquitted Nil (d) Settled (matters resolved) 20 (e) Withdrawn 1 (f) Dismissed 8 (g) Admonished 1 (h) Others Nil TOTAL 35 6. In pursuant to section 53(4) and in the spirit of section 53(5) of the Advocates Act, forty-eight (48) complaints were settled amicably at the Advocates‘ Complaints Commission. Dated the 12th January, 2015. BEAUTTAH SIGANGA, Chairman, Complaints Commission.