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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter

Criminal courts are ready to deal with cases of politically motivated violence and intimidation and the law will be applied without fear or favour in dealing with the scourge, Chief Magistrate, Mrs Faith Mushure said yesterday.

Critcisms that judicial officers, such as magistrates, had been interfered with were baseless and without merit.

Speaking at Harare Magistrates Court in an interview soon after swearing in 15 new magistrates that are set to take office across the country on how ready the courts were to deal with any violence, she said: “With regard to preparedness to political violence, I think you will be aware that on 2 June 2023 the Chief Justice, acting in terms of the Electoral Act designated 75 provincial magistrates to deal with cases of politically motivated violence and intimidation.

“These magistrates are based at all 58 operational courts in Zimbabwe, meaning every district in Zimbabwe has a magistrate to deal with politically motivated violence and intimidation cases. These magistrates are of wider experience as they are at provincial magistrate level, so our state of preparedness is top notch, we are prepared to deal with those cases,” said Mrs Mushure.

The designation of the magistrates means that while the continue with their normal duties, they are on standby to deal promptly with politcal violence cases.

“You would be aware that the Constitution of Zimbabwe guarantees judicial independence, judicial officers, magistrate included are only subject to the law, so these criticisms, that magistrates are being interfered with has no basis. There is no evidence to that effect. As head of magistrates I would say they are pure fabrication and misleading.”

She said the swearing in of 15 magistrates will help boost their staff of presiding officers.

“We swore into office 15 magistrates comprising six males and nine females I think in recent weeks we have sworn the largest group of male magistrates. The group brings our total magistrates to 229 magistrates comprising 87 males and 142 female magistrates. It has been drawn from a cross section of profession meant to strengthen the bench. We have five of the appointees coming from the private practice. They were legal practitioners in private practice and eight have been drawn from the JSC, either they were court interpreters, judge assistant or researchers, one is coming from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and another from the Zimbabwe Republic Police. We have already deployed them to beef up our staff like in Bikita, Karoi, Kezi, Mberengwa, Chipinge,” said Mrs Mushure.

The 15 magistrates sworn in yesterday are: Isaac Chikura, Catherine Makaita Dzivanyika, Faith Fazilahmed, Molly Gwatida, Ivy Jawona, Titus Makunike, Ropafadzo Manyande, Tatenda Mukurunge, Tinofirei Muronzi, Shumirai Mutimodhlo, Precious Nyambiya, Kudakwashe Sangarwe, Anesu Tanyanyiwa, Edward Verenga and Batiraishe Zishiri.