Times Of Swaziland: COMMISSION GENEROUS TO  RAMODIBEDI - ACTING CJ

COMMISSION GENEROUS TO  RAMODIBEDI - ACTING CJ
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 BY KWANELE DLAMINI on 10/06/2015 04:36:00


MBABANE – Acting Chief Justice (CJ) Bheki Maphalala said the commission has
been fair and generous to suspended Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi.
This was after Ramodibedi’s representative, Sipho Mnisi of SS Attorneys, moved
an application for postponement on behalf of Ramodibedi, who is reported to be
sick.
Mnisi, who withdrew from being the CJ’s attorney of record in the
constitutional matter that was dismissed with costs by a full bench on Monday,
told the commission that Ramodibedi could not avail himself because he was ill.
However, there was no doctor’s report to prove that Ramodibedi had been
attended to by a medical practitioner.
He failed to appear before court on Monday after Judge Qinisile Mabuza ordered
that he should avail himself within 15 minutes. He had told his attorney that he
was sick and could not come to court.
The commission took a 15-minute adjournment and reconvened to dismiss Mnisi’s
application and he did not stay to listen to the proceedings. Maphalala, who
chaired the commission that conducted the impeachment proceedings against
Ramodibedi, said the suspended CJ had been informed in writing that the inquiry
would proceed yesterday, with or without him.
The JSC informed the suspended CJ, in a letter, to appear for the inquiry
resumption yesterday. Ramodibedi acknowledged receipt of the letter, which he
said he received while lying in bed since he was seriously ill.
When dismissing the application, acting CJ Maphalala said the commission had
been fair and generous to Ramodibedi.
“You cannot say he was not given enough time to prepare for the matter. He
asked for a postponement and it was generously given. We have been fair and
generous to him.