4. The Committee notes that the Commission has, however, continued to postpone disciplinary hearings while the outcome of the criminal matter is taken on appeal. The cases of Magistrates Maruwa and Morake are illustrative: In both cases, the magistrates concerned were convicted on charges dating from 2007. The disciplinary cases are still to be heard, as they were postponed on the basis that the criminal convictions are being appealed against. These postponements were made in June this year, after the Commission had made its policy decision to proceed with a disciplinary hearing despite a related criminal matter not having been finalised. The reasons for the continued postponements to accommodate appeal processes are unclear. Although it is possible to argue that, at the trial stage, it may be prejudicial for a disciplinary inquiry to proceed until the State has led its evidence, this does not apply to appeals, where no further evidence is led. It does not appear to be any justification for further delaying the disciplinary proceedings.