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comes at a time when the Chief Magistrate’s office is handling a case in which a Masvingo magistrate reportedly sentenced a stock thief to a wholly suspended five-month prison term for stealing six cattle.
Stock theft has a mandatory penalty of nine years in jail. The matter was dealt with some months back, but a senior lawyer complained to the Chief Magistrate Mr Mishrod Guvamombe who made a follow up and discovered the irregularity.
Last week, detectives disguised as farm workers arrested a prosecutor after receiving a bribe from a farmer.
The prosecutor appeared at the Chivhu Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday facing corruption charges.
The farmer, who had a pending court case, had been asked to pay money for the matter to be dropped.
A trap was then set by detectives who were wearing overalls and worksuits posing as farm labourers.
An impeccable source told The Herald that some magistrates had stayed at certain stations for many years and were likely to compromise ethics.
“Some had overstayed at one court for close to 20 years and they had become part and parcel of the community, a situation that is highly favourable to corruption.
“At least if they are moved to other stations, it will take them time to get familiar with new connections. Rotating the magistrates is a move that is set to minimise corruption that had reached high levels,” said the source.
A senior court official said the changes had started yielding positive results.
A lawyer who spoke on condition of anonymity hailed the development, but said more should be done to arrest the scourge.
“That is a welcome development, but more should be done to curb corruption. Corruption normally involves connivance and that move should also be extended to the prosecution.
“Court officials should also get reasonable salaries for them to afford a decent life to avoid corruption,” he said.
Another source challenged the authorities to name the corrupt officers instead of generalising the issue. He said transferring magistrates was expensive and likely to create backlogs.
“The corrupt officers should be named and flushed out of the system. After all, transferring magistrates does not end corruption.
“When a magistrate is moved from Chipinge to Harare, it will be difficult for him to go back to his old station to finalise partly heard cases,” he said.
Online Reporter