Anti-corruption team for Justice set up

The move follows recent revelations by Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa that the legal sys­tem was riddled with a complicated corruption system.
He said he had numerous reports on his table showing the corrupt system involving prison officers, the police, lawyers and other court officials.

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku and the Permanent Secretary for Jus­tice and Legal Affairs Mr David Man­gota also recently slammed the min­istry’s officials and other stakeholders in the justice delivery system for graft.
Apart from looking into cases of corruption, the committee will investigate complaints by members of the public on legal matters.

Justice and Legal Affairs Deputy Minister Obert Gutu chairs the com­mittee that comprises heads of the 15 departments in the ministry and three senior officials from the Anti-Corrup­tion Commission of Zimbabwe.
Mr Mangota confirmed that the anti-corruption committee was now operational in the ministry.
“We have such a committee and it is chaired by the Deputy Minister of Jus­tice and Legal Affairs,” he said.
Mr Gutu yesterday issued a state­ment inviting people with corruption related complaints against the min­istry staff to approach his office.

“The committee is now ready to start operations and all people with corruption related complaints against the ministry staff are invited to approach the Deputy Minister’s office with such cases,” he said.
“We will soon provide a toll-free number for the public to make their reports to us.”
Mr Gutu said they were lobbying for stiffer penalties for those found guilty of corruption.

“The anti-corruption committee is lobbying for stiffer penalties for those found guilty of corruption in the jus­tice delivery system as a way of dis­couraging prosecutors, magistrates, judges, prison officers and other court officials from engaging in corruption,” he said.
Mr Gutu said numerous reports and complaints that reached higher offices in the ministry prompted the urgent setting up of the anti-graft committee.
“Due to the high prevalence rate of corruption by staff in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, an Anti-Cor­ruption Committee has been estab­lished to identify, curb and hopefully ultimately eliminate corruption,” he said.

“It has come to our attention that some departments are charging mem­bers of the public for services that ought to be rendered free of charge.
“We are going to take stern meas­ures to deal with the culprits. The committee has come up with 13 strate­gies to fight corruption and has com­menced the implementation of these strategies.”

Mr Gutu said the committee was not there to compete with the Anti-Corruption Commission of Zim­babwe. He said it was meant to complement the commission’s efforts in the fight against corruption.
“The Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs recognises the good work by the Anti-Corruption Commission of Zimbabwe and is grateful for the unwavering support the commission is giving to the ministry’s committee,” said Mr Gutu.

“The activities of the committee are, therefore, designed to complement the efforts of the Anti-Corruption Com­mission.”
The judiciary, prosecution, Deeds Office, prisons and many other departments under the Ministry of Justice are part of the new committee.
Mr Gutu urged people to approach the Deeds Office to get the correct information before buying or selling property.

Property buyers were urged to be on the lookout for fake title deeds and to engage the services of experts in the transactions.