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Chief Justice Chidyausiku

Daniel Nemukuyu recently in Victoria Falls
Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku has hailed Treasury for permitting the Judicial Service Commission to retain court fees and other funds generated from the courts, a development he said has greatly improved justice delivery and the welfare of judicial officers. Addressing the Southern African Chief Justices’ Forum in Victoria Falls last Thursday, the Judiciary boss said the JSC’s allocation from the Treasury was not enough, and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development made a noble decision that has seen the commission scaling up its operations.

The decision, Justice Chidyausiku said, also promoted the independence of the Judiciary as it now managed to provide for its own needs. “As a special dispensation and for a limited period, Treasury has allowed the Judicial Service Commission to retain at source some of the revenue that it generates in the form of court fees and other charges.

“This special dispensation has enabled the commission to control expenditure against envisaged income with some remarkable results. “Our judges here are now driving Range Rovers except for 16, who will get theirs by December this year. “That will go a long way in preventing cases whereby judges will rely on monies from criminals,” said the Chief Justice.

The said funds, he said, had also been used to revive the circuit court system that had since stopped operating due to poor funding, a development that promoted access to justice for all. “The independence enjoyed by the commission to allocate funds to those areas that it regards as high priority areas has seen the commission opening up magisterial circuit courts that had been closed previously due to lack of funding.

“This and other interventions in the magistrates’ courts has seen a reduction in the backlog of cases in that court from 45 000 cases as at the end of 2013 to only 2 500 as at the end of 2014,” he said. Chief Justice Chidyausiku said Government also allowed the commission to get funding from approved partners, which also contributed to the improvement of service delivery in the country.