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Speaking during the swearing in of three new magistrates at the Bulawayo Magistrates Courts — Mr Mzingaye Phanankosi Moyo, Ms Evelyn Mashavakure and Mr Takunda Witness Mtetwa — Mr Guvamombe said the justice system was losing credibility in the eyes of the public because of corrupt tendencies by some officers.
He said the magistrates in the country should help the Government stamp out corruption by exercising highest levels of integrity in the discharge of their duties.
“Take note that you are coming in at a time when judicial corruption is receiving a lot of limelight. Be assured that if anyone of you is caught on the wrong side you will be ruthlessly dealt with. We expect you to assist the system in fighting corruption not the other way round,” said Mr Guvamombe.
“If you, therefore, become a partisan magistrate you compromise your oath and act unfairly. If you become a corrupt one you disgrace the bench on which you sit. The Judicial Services Commission has adopted zero tolerance to corruption and it is in this regard that we have not hesitated to discharge from service any of our members who are found guilty of engaging in corrupt activities.
“The reputation of presiding officers of all courts is a public perception of their commitment and their integrity is central to the efficiency of the courts to uphold the law and dispense justice.”
Mr Guvamombe said magistrates should abide by the laws of the country and urged them to defend justice without fear of favour. He said those who feel that just justice was irrelevant should leave the justice system and join other professions to avoid being condemned to a life of mediocrity.
Said Mr Guvamombe: “The magistrate must decide a case in the lonely room of his or her conscience in accordance with the law. There are quite a few who have become steeped in the belief that justice is irrelevant and deliver morally based decisions as if they were products of a mechanical process of which they have no control over.”
He said presiding magistrates were there to protect the rights of all groups of people including those who do not have money to hire lawyers.
“Your duty therefore is to ensure that the rights of the unrepresented litigants are not violated. Let it not be the case where the public contends that justice is only for the wealthy and the well connected but spread it across the board without fear of favour,” said Mr Guvamombe.
He said the JSC was conducting training sessions for magistrates on case management as part of efforts to improve efficiency of the officers.
Mr Guvamombe also underscored the need for presiding magistrates to conclude cases quickly in order to reduce the backlog of cases in the courts, saying such a move would increase confidence and belief in the justice system.
Speaking at the same occasion, chief law officer Mrs Martha Cheda said the swearing in of new magistrates for Bulawayo was going to help the region to reduce backlog of cases.
He advised the new magistrates to work hard to improve the image of the justice system.
The three magistrates are holders of law degrees and have undergone vigorous training under the supervision of senior officers as trainee magistrates, clerks and prosecutors from March last year to date.
Mr Moyo was born on 13 February in 1986 at Lady Rodwell Maternity Hospital at the United Bulawayo Hospitals. He attained his Ordinary Level at Tennyson Hlabangana High School in 2004 and Advanced Level at Milton High School.
He completed his law degree with the University of South Africa (Unisa) in 2010.
Mr Mtetwa was born on 15 June 1977 in Gweru. He did his primary education at Takunda Primary School, O Level at Ascot High School and A Level at Thornhill High School.
He obtained a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 2010.
Miss Mashavakure was born on 12 October in 1980 in Harare and did her primary education at Houghton Park before proceeding for her O and A levels at Chegato High School in Mberengwa. She worked as an accounts clerk at a Harare company and later attained her Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 2010.
The provincial magistrate responsible for Bulawayo and Matabeleland North, Mr John Masimba, and his Matabeleland South counterpart, Mr Douglas Zvenyika, senior magistrates from districts in the region and families of the new magistrates witnessed the event.
Online Reporter