BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA
A LEAKED document has exposed the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)’s plans to suspend court operations in line with the 30-day lockdown measures announced by government at the weekend.
JSC spokesperson Rumbidzai Takawira yesterday dismissed the leaked document as a draft, saying the correct position would be spelt out today after consultations with other stakeholders.
According to the leaked document, Chief Justice Luke Malaba was said to have proposed that court cases should be suspended until February 3, 2020.
“Following the reintroduction of level IV lockdown measures announced by the government, the Judicial Service Commission would like to inform the nation that consultations are underway to ascertain the best way forward to ensure justice is accessible while still protecting staff and clients from the deadly coronavirus,” she said.
Last April when President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the country’s first lockdown, the JSC suspended handling of new cases to reduce congestion at the courts, saying it could lead to the spread of the virus.
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