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Fortunate Gora Mash West Correspondent
The Judicial Service Commission has opened two regional courts in Karoi and Kadoma that are expected to boost the justice delivery system in Mashonaland West province. In an interview, JSC acting secretary Mr Walter Chikwanha said the province had the highest number of criminal cases, which required easily accessible judicial services.

“The province has been depending on the Chinhoyi Regional Court presided by magistrate Mr Amos Mbobo while Kadoma and Karoi had magistrate courts only,” he said. “Many people were forced to travel to Chinhoyi even from as far as Kariba, so we have shortened the distance travelled and at least they will now travel to Karoi.” Mr Chikwanha said the regional courts mainly concentrated on serious offences which include rape, aggravated indecent assault, attempted murder and armed robbery.

“Kadoma has a very high record on rape cases and aggravated indecent assault while the whole province experience many armed robbery and attempted murder cases,” he said.

In interviews, people welcomed the development, which would reduce transport costs incurred when attending court. Mrs Rose Mukosheri from Hurungwe said: “I am very happy because sometimes we were failing to bring our witnesses due to transport costs.”

Failure in having the witnesses attending the court session would result in the accused being issued with a warrant of arrest.
“At times you would be called to have your case presided over at a certain day, but due to pressure the prosecutor would end up postponing it to another date,” Mr Tichaona Rwodzi of Kadoma said. The new courts are also expected to bring relief to the regional court in Chinhoyi, which was covering seven districts.