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Tanzanian President Accuses Judges of Graft, Seeks Reforms

Tanzanian President Accuses Judges of Graft, Seeks Reforms

(Bloomberg) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli said the country’s judiciary needs to reform as he accused some judges and other law enforcement agency officials of being corrupt.

In an emailed statement issued by the presidency on Thursday, Magufuli said some judges are often living lifestyles that they shouldn’t be able to afford and that Chief Justice Ibrahim Hamis Juma has to investigate the problem. He also accused the police, an anti-graft body and prosecuting authority of failing to hold employees accountable.

“A lot of them ask to go for holidays abroad,” Magufuli said in the statement, commenting on judges who apply to him for leave. “I know how much a judge’s salary is, and to tell the truth I look at where they go and the hotel they’re staying at, how expensive it is. Mr Chief Justice, follow up on this.”

Law enforcement agencies should take action against unethical employees, otherwise Magufuli will intervene himself, he said.

Taking Action

“Last year, I complained,” he said. “This year, I will not complain. I will take action, actually before the end of February.”

Calls for comment to the Court of Appeal in Dar es Salaam were not answered after normal business hours on Thursday.

Magufuli, who came to power in 2015 and is nicknamed “the bulldozer,” is finding popular support for his bids to tackle graft and challenge foreign companies like Barrick Gold Corp. for more revenue.

To contact the reporter on this story: Omar Mohammed in Dar es Salaam at omohammed4@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net, Andre Janse van Vuuren

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