Online Reporter
Ronald Mpofu
PLUMTREE Magistrates Court is set to dump the dusty files and embrace the future, with the digital Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) expected to go live on 1 October 2025.
Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Secretary Walter Chikwanha made the announcement during a stakeholder engagement with local chiefs, court officials, and members of the public at the courthouse today.
The move is part of a nationwide shift to a paperless justice system, aligning with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 goals of tech-powered governance. The IECMS will allow people to file cases, follow proceedings, and interact with the courts using their phones or laptops — from anywhere in the world.
“No one is losing their job. Only the pen and paper are being phased out,” said Chikwanha, calming fears about staff layoffs. “This system is here to stop delays, protect records, and speed up justice delivery.”
Already active in the High Court, Supreme Court, and Labour Court, IECMS is now being rolled out to lower courts. Staff at the Plumtree Magistrates Court will receive training on 28 and 29 July, ahead of the full switch in October.
Chikwanha said corruption and record manipulation would become a thing of the past with the system’s secure digital tracking. “Missing statements and tampered documents will be history,” he said.
Chiefs, court staff, and the public will all be trained to use the platform, and magistrates along with prosecutors have already received laptops to get up to speed.
He added that had IECMS been running during the Covid-19 lockdown, the justice system wouldn’t have ground to a halt. “The courts were shut, but criminals never stopped committing crimes. This system ensures justice continues, no matter what,” said Chikwanha.
Plumtree is now counting down to a new era where justice is just a click away.
