Former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng could face an impeachment inquiry after impeached judge president John Hlophe accused him of dishonesty and violating his oath of office.
Hlophe, who was the first judge to be impeached in South Africa, alleged that Mogoeng held a secret meeting with his (Hlophe’s) then-deputy Patricia Goliath after she lodged a complaint against him.
COULD MOGOENG MOGOENG BE IMPEACHED LIKE HLOPHE?
The Judicial Conduct Committee led by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya has recommended that Mogoeng face an impeachment inquiry for possibly violating his oath of office.
Hlophe, who was the long-serving Western Cape High Court judge president before he was impeached, filed a complaint of gross judicial misconduct against Mogeng and alleged that the former chief justice encouraged Goliath to lodge a complaint against him.
The SABC reported that the recommendation stems from John Hlophe’s 2020 complaint against the former Chief Justice, in which he alleged that the former Chief Justice “conducted himself improperly and unlawfully in the manner in which he handled the complaint against him” by Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath.
Hlophe alleged that Mogoeng had a private conversation with Goliath, in his absence, over the matter and thereafter presided over the same allegations and subsequent counter-complaint in a manner inconsistent with his oath of office.
The committee recommended to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that the complaint be investigated and reported upon by a tribunal.
HLOPHE VS GOLIATH
In 2020, the Mail and Guardian reported that Hlophe and Goliath had been at loggerheads for months after Goliath accused him of gross misconduct and putting the integrity of the courts at risk.
It was also alleged that Hlophe had hired inmates from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal to assassinate Goliath and allegedly assaulted an unnamed colleague, who had to be persuaded not to lay a criminal complaint.
According to reports, the judge in this incident was later revealed to be Mushtak Parker, who later denied the assault took place.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HLOPHE’S COMPLAINT AGAINST MOGOEN MOGOENG?
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