Judicial officers urged to familiarise with constitution

via Judicial officers urged to familiarise with constitution | The Zimbabwean 27 June 2014 by Sofia Mapuranga

Three magistrates were yesterday sworn in at the Harare magistrates court as a way of improving service delivery in the judiciary.

Currently, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is saddled with 40 vacancies for magistrates, who currently number 250 countrywide.

Speaking after swearing in Trevor Tatenda Nyatsanza, Batanai Madzingira and Poterai Gwezhira, Chief Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe said there was need for judicial officers to familiarise themselves with the constitution.

“You must always make sure that every decision you make is not ultra vires the constitution. You must be alive to the clauses which protect the rights of arrested and detained litigants.

“There has been a paradigm shift on the laws which govern that area. Never turn a blind ear to the decisions and pronouncements of the Constitutional Court on any matter,” said Guvamombe.

He urged magistrates to uphold the law and abstain from corruption.

“We also call upon the public and other stakeholders involved in the administration of justice to play their part in fighting corruption,”

said Guvamombe. “A corrupt society corrupts public institutions.

Desist from tempting judicial officers with bribes. Our resolve to deal with issues of corruption will never recede.”

He pledged JSC’s commitment to fighting corruption and said all corruption cases brought before the courts would be dealt with accordingly.