Bribery complaint against acting judge hits quorum snag at JCC
Committee chaired by Chief Justice said members who previously considered the matter were disqualified from hearing it further.
A bribery complaint against acting high court judge Samuel Makamu has encountered a hurdle, according to the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC). The committee decided that members involved in previous rulings related to the case were ineligible to participate further, causing a quorum shortage. Makamu is accused of accepting a R5,000 bribe in exchange for a favorable ruling in a leave-to-appeal matter, according to businessman and lawyer Bouwe Wiersma, who filed the complaint in August 2025.
The committee, chaired by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, ruled that the disqualified members could no longer approach the issues with an unbiased mindset. This left only one member able to participate, resulting in a shortcoming of the required quorum of at least three members. The committee stated that Chief Justice Maya has the authority to appoint temporary members, allowing the complaint to be reviewed once the appointment is made.
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