Harare, (New Ziana) – The special High Court circuit in the Midlands province has scored a high conviction rate, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), has reported.

The Special Midlands High Court circuit made up of three judges in Gweru and two in Gokwe, was set up by the NPAZ to deal with a huge backlog of murder cases as the province has emerged as the country’s murder capital, with most cases involving the use of weapons including knives and machetes.

In a post on X, the Prosecutor General, Loyce Matanda-Moyo said the special High Court circuit was a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system.

“We are pleased to report that the NPAZ successfully disposed of a substantial number of cases, demonstrating the NPAZ’s commitment to delivering timely and equitable justice.

This is (in) line with the Prosecutor General (PG) Loyce Matanda-Moyo’s theme for the year 2024 which is, Restoring public trust through just, effective and timely prosecution,” said the NPAZ.

“We completed 91 percent of the cases that were set down for trial. A few cases could not be tried because witnesses could not be located,” said Matanda-Moyo.

Meanwhile, the NPAZ bade farewell to two long serving employees, Evelyn Dorothy Chinyemba who worked for the body for 43 years as a registry assistant, and Thokozana Manata, who served the organization for 19 years as an officer after being seconded from the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

New Ziana