Justice and Legal Affairs minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday castigated corrupt prison officers and accused them of fuelling the vice in the justice delivery system.
Chinamasa made the remarks during a handover of 500 prisoners’ uniforms donated by the Law Society of Zimbabwe, as part of its corporate social responsibility programmes.
“I had singled out prisons as being free from corruption within the judiciary system, but I was told that’s where it starts,” Chinamasa said.
“I am told they tell prisoners which lawyer, police officer, prosecutor or magistrate to go to. In fact, there are senior counsels who give advice to accused persons on who to corrupt at the courts,” he added.
The minister also lamented the quality of some of the current lawyers whom he said did not match those from the days he was still a practising lawyer.
“I receive reports from judges that the quality of the legal profession has gone down and I am happy to note you have embarked on a comprehensive skills programme,” said Chinamasa.
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“When my time is up, I would want to go back to my profession, it’s not in the same state as it was when I left it. Now there is a lot of corruption and it has lost its integrity. I care and I am anxious about the profession and would wish it to shine,” he added.
Chinamasa also said his ministry and the Zimbabwe Prison Service were sourcing funds to improve conditions in prison.
“Our idea is to present a prison whose conditions are humane not forgetting all of us here are potential candidates. Presently conditions are not good there but better than three years ago,” he said drawing laughter from the gathering.
Law Society of Zimbabwe president Tinoziva Bere said the prison garb was acquired from proceeds of last year’s fund-raising show which raised $36 000.
Turning to the issue of delays in processing documents by the Deeds Office and Registrar of Companies, Chinamasa said he hoped they would soon improve on their efficiency as there were plans to have them operate as stand-alone offices.
The society also presented a scholarship to a needy University of Zimbabwe law student, Josephine Chiname.