JCIO 12/23

     

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said:

The Lord Chancellor, with the Lord Chief Justice’s agreement, has removed Ms Sasere Obaseki JP from office as a magistrate after she was struck off as a solicitor.

Under the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2014, conduct advisory committees, the regional bodies which investigate complaints about magistrates’ conduct, can recommend a magistrate’s removal from office without further investigation in certain circumstances. Those circumstances include where a magistrate has been subject to an investigation by a licencing body concerning their fitness to practise, which results in prohibition from continuing to practise.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority investigated Ms Obaseki regarding allegations which included attempting to mislead her firm’s insurers and the police. After Ms Obaseki was struck off as a solicitor, the advisory committee invited her to make representations as to why she should not be removed from office as a magistrate on that basis. She did not respond.

The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor agreed with the advisory committee’s recommendation to remove Ms Obaseki from office.

 

 

Notes for Editors

 

Media queries in relation to the JCIO should be made in the first instance to the Judicial Press Office - telephone 020 7073 4852 or via email - press.enquiries@judiciary.gsi.gov.uk

Sanctions for misconduct by judicial office-holders are set out in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. They are, in order of severity: formal advice, formal warning, reprimand and removal from office.

For more information about the Office, including details on how to make a complaint against a judicial office holder, you can visit the JCIO website at: Judicial Conduct Investigations website