Chief justice blames funding shortage for action delay

SUPREME COURT Chief Justice José Ayú, facing accusation of mismanaging appointments under the criminal accusatory system  on Monday, Mar. 27 ,  laid the blame on e lack of funding.

He said that he is  “looking for” the funds needed to implement the Judicial Career Law.

It was approved in 2015 but has yet to be implemented. “At no time have we had the funds available for its

functional implementation,” said Ayú Prado at the presentation of the annual report of the judicial system.

Ayú Prado and the other two judges who complete the board of directors of the Supreme Court ­ Hernán De León and Luis Ramón Fábrega ­ were the subject of a complaint filed last week claiming they made 600 appointments required under the criminal accusatory system without following the procedures outlined by the Judicial Career Law.

But the chief justice said this was due to a lack of funds. He noted that he made a request for $5 million to implement the law in 2016, but was denied.

In 2016, the Judicial Branch handled a budget of $151.7 million for operations and investments. Of that amount, only 9 percent was allocated for materials, supplies and equipment. The bulk of the funding went to the implementation of the accusatory system.

The judicial budget for 2017 is $160 million: $140 million for operations and $20 million for investment.

The implementation of the Judicial Career Law is not included in the budget reports La Prensa