Supreme Court nominee, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, has bemoaned the lack of financial independence of the judiciary, saying it is negatively affecting its work.
During his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, June 16, Justice Dzamefe said that although the Constitution protects the independence of the judiciary, the service has no control over its financial administration.
Its financial operations and budgeting process, he noted, are controlled by the Executive and the Legislature.
“When it comes to the judiciary, yes, we are independent; administratively, yes, we are independent, but financially we are not, because you give us money—when the budget comes to you, you give what you think we need,” he stated.
Justice Dzamefe argued that true independence is unattainable when one branch of government depends on another for its essential operational resources.
He added, “A lot has to be done to ensure the judiciary does its work without any hindrances.”