CHINHOYI – THE High Court, which was officially opened on 3 September 2021 in Chinhoyi
and started sitting on the 10 January last year managed to achieve 97 percent case completion
rate during the 2022 legal year.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba highlighted this in his speech read by Judge President, Justice Mary
Zimba Dube, at Chinhoyi High Court on Monday, during the official opening of the 2023 legal
year.
Chinhoyi High Court, where Justice Philda Muzofa was deployed as a pioneer Judge before it
started sitting, received a total of 1515 cases. It cleared 1474 cases, giving a total 97 percent, 41
cases remained pending at the end of the year and were carried over into the 2023 legal year.
The Chief Justice applauded the Chinhoyi High Court Judge and her fellow visiting Justices
Pisirayi Kwenda and Catharine Bachi- Mzawazi, who relieved at the court from time to time, for
the good work they put in.
The bulk of cases received at Chinhoyi High Court were criminal in nature. There is high
incidence of robbery and murder cases in Mashonaland West.
Murder has serious effects on the lives of surviving family members.
A total of 25 murder cases were set down for trial in Mashonaland West during the previous
year.
These cases were drawn from Chinhoyi, Kadoma, Kariba, Karoi, Zvimba and Kenzamba among
others.
Justice Malaba also said it would be remiss of him not to acknowledge the efforts put in by other
stakeholders in the criminal justice system especially, the police.
He said that despite transport and other logistical constraints they face from time to time they
always endeavoured to police the area and ensure that all parties are advised and served for
attendance at criminal trials.
The Correctional Services Department was also applauded for housing and looking after inmates.
The judiciary monitors the prison population and routinely visits prison facilities. During the last
legal year a team from the High Court visited Chinhoyi Remand Prison, on 7 October.
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