Fuel shortages hit prison services

fuel shortages.
ZPS spokesperson Chief Prison Officer Ms Priscilla Mthembu said the service did not have enough fuel to sustain its operations.
“Money allocated to us is not sufficient to sustain the transportation of prisoners to courts. Right now we are in the process of procuring fuel and we believe the situation will return to normalcy by month end,” Ms Mthembu said.
The Herald was reliably informed that the problem was going to persist up to April 1 when the department is going to be allocated fuel coupons for that month.
It was not clear how prison officers at the courts were going to transport prisoners to remand prison.
Relatives of suspects held at Harare Central Remand Prison milled around the courts for remand prisoners who did not come.
At around 1pm a woman who requested anonymity said, “I was told to wait because the truck was on the way to court but up to now it hasn’t arrived.
“The courts are about to round up business and nothing has happened so far and it seems most prison wardens are dodging us when we ask them.”
Mr John Machando – who had come to testify – added: “I came from Chinhoyi to testify but I have to go back since the courts have no business.”
The fuel crisis has severely affected justice delivery with both victims of crime and suspects being denied their day in court. This creates a huge case backlog.
On Tuesday, prison officers had to get help from the police to ferry suspects back to prison and in some cases private cars were used.
The trial of Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma who is facing charges of criminal abuse of office for allegedly flouting State tender procedures was also affected.