Mutare prosecutors bar non-striking colleagues, key block offices

non-striking colleagues access to dockets and other relevant papers for court business.
At most courts countrywide, prosecutors from the police, army, air force and prisons were postponing cases on behalf of the striking prosecutors to avoid a total breakdown of court operations.
There was low business at the Mutare Magistrates’ Courts yesterday as a result of the development. The court officials were shocked to learn that the offices were locked when they reported for duty in the morning, prompting senior prosecutors in the province to make a report to the Attorney General’s head office in Harare.
Sources at the AG’s office who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed receiving the report. Zimbabwe Law Officers’ Association secretary general Mr Dereck Charamba said locking offices was a normal practice for security reasons.
“Yes offices have been locked. The idea is to secure them because there are important security documents in there that need to be safely kept. If one leaves his or her office not properly secured, then anyone can tamper with very important documents.
“Key blockers have always been used for security reasons. Offices have been locked at most courts but I cannot disclose the names of the courts,” he said.
Prosecutors are also fighting the attachment of police, army, air force and prisons prosecutors to the courts.
They are seeking their urgent withdrawal from the courts. Prosecutors and law officers have written to the security chiefs demanding the immediate withdrawal of uniformed forces attached to the prosecution.
The AG’s office operates with officers from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Zimbabwe Prison Services and the Zimbabwe Republic Police who prosecute at the Supreme Court, High Court and the Magistrates’ Courts.
Such prosecutors are the ones who are reporting for work at various courts countrywide while others are on strike.
In a letter that was also copied to the AG and his three deputies, the ZILOA demanded the urgent withdrawal of the officers.
“As ZILOA, in the AG’s Offices we hereby request that all police, army, prisons, CIO and air force prosecutors attached to the AG’s office in various courts to be withdrawn with immediate effect.
“We thank you dearly for the services that they offered when they were attached to our courts,” read the letter.
The issue of such prosecutors once sparked debate during various workshops that were conducted by the Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of the Offender countrywide.
Prosecutors moved for the withdrawal of such officers saying they were taking instructions from their police or army bosses on how to prosecute. They complained of interference saying the uniformed forces were running the show.
An example cited at the workshop was that a constable attached to the courts could not go against the instruction of a superintendent back at his station to oppose bail on flimsy grounds. Some said it was not proper for police prosecutors to handle cases they had investigated.