Latest news with #JusticeCommittee
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Have Your Say On The Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill
Press Release – Justice Committee The bill would amend the Senior Courts Act 2016, the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, and the Coroners Act 2006. The Chairperson of the Justice Committee is calling for public submissions on the Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill. The objective of the bill is to improve timeliness in New Zealand's courts by maximising judicial resources. It aims to ensure that judicial time is focused on the most critical tasks and decisions. The bill would amend the Senior Courts Act 2016, the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, and the Coroners Act 2006. It would: increase by two the number of High Court Judges that could be appointed, from 55 to 57 make procedural amendments to minimise the volume of proceedings that abuse the process of the courts reduce duplication at the pre-trial stage and maximise the use of judicial and court resources allow appeals to the Court of Appeals relating to District Court decisions to be heard by a court at the appropriate level enable coroners to close an inquiry if it were no longer appropriate to conduct an inquiry because of new information or changed circumstances. Tell the Justice Committee what you think Make a submission on the bill by 1pm on Wednesday 25 June 2025.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Have Your Say On The Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill
The Chairperson of the Justice Committee is calling for public submissions on the Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill. The objective of the bill is to improve timeliness in New Zealand's courts by maximising judicial resources. It aims to ensure that judicial time is focused on the most critical tasks and decisions. The bill would amend the Senior Courts Act 2016, the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, and the Coroners Act 2006. It would: increase by two the number of High Court Judges that could be appointed, from 55 to 57 make procedural amendments to minimise the volume of proceedings that abuse the process of the courts reduce duplication at the pre-trial stage and maximise the use of judicial and court resources allow appeals to the Court of Appeals relating to District Court decisions to be heard by a court at the appropriate level enable coroners to close an inquiry if it were no longer appropriate to conduct an inquiry because of new information or changed circumstances. Tell the Justice Committee what you think Make a submission on the bill by 1pm on Wednesday 25 June 2025.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Legal body chief's position ‘no longer tenable', MPs warn
The head of a legal body heavily criticised for its handling of the Andrew Malkinson case should not continue in the top job, a committee of MPs has said. Karen Kneller's position as chief executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC),which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, is no longer tenable, according to the Justice Committee. It follows 'unpersuasive' evidence from her on the CCRC's challenges and response to public criticisms in April, and concerns on the performance of the review body. The CCRC has come under fire as a review by barrister Chris Henley KC found Mr Malkinson could have been released 10 years earlier from prison for a rape he did not commit, if the CCRC had obtained new DNA evidence as early as 2009. Chairwoman of the body, Helen Pitcher, eventually resigned from her role in January following Mr Malkinson's case, but claimed she had been scapegoated. Before her resignation, she had apologised to Mr Malkinson in April 2024, nine months after his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in July 2023. In a report published on Friday, committee chairman Andy Slaughter said: 'As a result of our concerns regarding the performance of the CCRC and the unpersuasive evidence Karen Kneller provided to the committee, we no longer feel that it is tenable for her to continue as chief executive of the CCRC.' 'There is clear evidence in our report that the situation for the CCRC has deteriorated significantly and it now requires root and branch reform.' The chairman also accused the leadership team of showing a 'remarkable inability' to learn from its own mistakes, and that the CCRC failed to respond adequately to Mr Malkinson's acquittal and to the publication of Mr Henley's independent review. Mr Slaughter added that the committee received comments from Mr Henley and Chris Webb, who was employed by the CCRC as an independent communications consultant, 'to the effect that she had misled the committee' following the April meeting. 'Without making a finding on whether the committee had been misled and giving Ms Kneller an opportunity to comment on the allegations, the committee nonetheless found the manner in which she gave evidence a further indicator of her unsuitability to continue to lead the CCRC,' he said. 'The information provided since the session establishes that Karen Kneller omitted important information that would have provided a more accurate account of how the CCRC handled the Henley report.' The committee's report concluded that Mr Henley's assessment on the work the CCRC had done was 'damning', and while it was focused on Mr Malkinson's case it should have been taken as evidence of systemic problems within the CCRC. It also said the body had been without an interim chair since Ms Pitcher's resignation for four months, which is an 'unacceptably long period of time' particularly given the 'turbulent' period. Mr Slaughter added the Ministry of Justice should take a degree of responsibility for not putting a plan in place for a replacement. Responding to the report, a CCRC spokesperson said: 'We note the recommendations in the Justice Select Committee report and the committee's view that its findings should 'inform the approach of the next chair of the CCRC' in reviewing how we operate. 'We look forward to an announcement on the appointment of an interim chair and to working with them in an organisation deeply committed to finding, investigating and referring potential miscarriages of justice.' A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'Miscarriages of justice can have a devastating impact. It is vital the public have confidence in the organisation dedicated to uncovering wrongful convictions. 'The Lord Chancellor will imminently announce the appointment to provide strong leadership to the CCRC and conduct a full and thorough review of how the organisation operates, including an assessment of its leadership.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legal body chief's position ‘no longer tenable', MPs warn
The head of a legal body heavily criticised for its handling of the Andrew Malkinson case should not continue in the top job, a committee of MPs has said. Karen Kneller's position as chief executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC),which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, is no longer tenable, according to the Justice Committee. It follows 'unpersuasive' evidence from her on the CCRC's challenges and response to public criticisms in April, and concerns on the performance of the review body. The CCRC has come under fire as a review by barrister Chris Henley KC found Mr Malkinson could have been released 10 years earlier from prison for a rape he did not commit, if the CCRC had obtained new DNA evidence as early as 2009. Chairwoman of the body, Helen Pitcher, eventually resigned from her role in January following Mr Malkinson's case, but claimed she had been scapegoated. Before her resignation, she had apologised to Mr Malkinson in April 2024, nine months after his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in July 2023. In a report published on Friday, committee chairman Andy Slaughter said: 'As a result of our concerns regarding the performance of the CCRC and the unpersuasive evidence Karen Kneller provided to the committee, we no longer feel that it is tenable for her to continue as chief executive of the CCRC.' 'There is clear evidence in our report that the situation for the CCRC has deteriorated significantly and it now requires root and branch reform.' The chairman also accused the leadership team of showing a 'remarkable inability' to learn from its own mistakes, and that the CCRC failed to respond adequately to Mr Malkinson's acquittal and to the publication of Mr Henley's independent review. Mr Slaughter added that the committee received comments from Mr Henley and Chris Webb, who was employed by the CCRC as an independent communications consultant, 'to the effect that she had misled the committee' following the April meeting. 'Without making a finding on whether the committee had been misled and giving Ms Kneller an opportunity to comment on the allegations, the committee nonetheless found the manner in which she gave evidence a further indicator of her unsuitability to continue to lead the CCRC,' he said. 'The information provided since the session establishes that Karen Kneller omitted important information that would have provided a more accurate account of how the CCRC handled the Henley report.' The committee's report concluded that Mr Henley's assessment on the work the CCRC had done was 'damning', and while it was focused on Mr Malkinson's case it should have been taken as evidence of systemic problems within the CCRC. It also said the body had been without an interim chair since Ms Pitcher's resignation for four months, which is an 'unacceptably long period of time' particularly given the 'turbulent' period. Mr Slaughter added the Ministry of Justice should take a degree of responsibility for not putting a plan in place for a replacement. Responding to the report, a CCRC spokesperson said: 'We note the recommendations in the Justice Select Committee report and the committee's view that its findings should 'inform the approach of the next chair of the CCRC' in reviewing how we operate. 'We look forward to an announcement on the appointment of an interim chair and to working with them in an organisation deeply committed to finding, investigating and referring potential miscarriages of justice.' A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'Miscarriages of justice can have a devastating impact. It is vital the public have confidence in the organisation dedicated to uncovering wrongful convictions. 'The Lord Chancellor will imminently announce the appointment to provide strong leadership to the CCRC and conduct a full and thorough review of how the organisation operates, including an assessment of its leadership.'
Eyewitness News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
EC Director of Public Prosecutions says he accepts criticism over Omotoso matter
CAPE TOWN - The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Eastern Cape said that he accepts the criticism against the prosecution team which led the evidence in the Timothy Omotoso matter, because he picked them. Advocate Barry Madolo told Parliament's Justice Committee today that after the lead prosecutor was replaced when the problems were flagged, he didn't expect the case to fail. READ: Pastor Timothy Omotoso acquitted on all charges of rape, human trafficking Madolo plans to appeal the acquittal of the Nigerian pastor once the judge as responded to a request for further clarity on her judgment, in which she was scathing of the prosecutors' handling of the matter. Madolo said that while he doesn't want to preempt the outcome of an appeal against Timothy Omotoso's acquittal, he's committed to obtaining justice for the victims. He believes the replacement prosecutors he deployed to the protracted trial had the job in hand, given their successes in similar cases. "I take responsibility for picking that team because I did not just pick anyone. I picked people whom I thought were capable of dealing with the matter." Madolo said that lead prosecutor Nceba Ntelwa, against whom the judge made a litany of misconduct findings - and who was removed from the case in 2021 - is still under investigation. Madolo told the committee he didn't think that in this case Ntelwa had been a 'good team player.' "I put a team whom I thought was the best team. If I erred there, then the investigation will tell me I erred." The NPA expects an investigation report into the prosecuting team to be finalised by the middle of next month.
