Suspects to be put on remand

emand prisons as a way of decongesting holding cells, which are reportedly filling up because of the on-going nationwide strike by magistrates.
With magistrates on strike for four days now to press for better salaries, suspects arrested by police are not going to court.
Constitutionally, they can only be held by police for 48 hours before being brought before a magistrate.
It is understood that holding cells are nearing capacity and Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday said an available option was to take suspects to facilities such as Chikurubi.
“This should not be a problem to the police as we have a 14 000-prisoner capacity countrywide and they can offload some of them (there),” he said.
Minister Chinamasa said negotiations between the Magistrates Association of Zimbabwe, the Judicial Service Commission, Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Finance were on-going. On Tuesday, the JSC and MAZ met but failed to break the deadlock over the salary impasse.
Some of the suspects arrested for petty offences were released on summons and will appear in court soon.
Senior police officers said the situation “is a recipe for disaster which needs a quick solution”.
One of them said, “If the provincial magistrates were not on strike while the other staff was, then there was not going to be any problem.
“We would bring in our own police prosecutors so that justice is served.”
The situation is said to also be dire in Bulawayo.
Prosecutors took it upon themselves “to advise” suspects and witnesses of possible remand dates.
For those prisoners already in remand prison, prison officers were entering possible next remand dates on warrant of detention forms. Warrants for further detention range between seven and 14 days. Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo said they had the capacity to feed suspects.
“We are worried about the lapse of the 48 hours which is the stipulated time to hold a suspect in police cells before taking them before a magistrate and we are working on strategies on how to go about this.”
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said they wanted the impasse quickly resolved, but added: “We will not stop arresting offenders.”
He added, “The situation would be looked at in consultation with the Attorney-General.”
Snr Asst Comm Bvudzijena said those facing smaller charges were being fined and released.
The judicial officers are demanding minimum salaries of between US$1 000 and US$3 300 depending on seniority. After a meeting, which lasted four hours, the parties issued a joint statement saying negotiations would continue until a solution was found.
Magistrates earn between US$206 and US$300 monthly and are demanding a minimum salary of US$600 for trainees.
When they first threatened to strike early this year, the officers proposed a salary of US$1 000 for junior magistrates, US$ 1500 for seniors, US$2 000 for senior provincial magistrates, and US$2 500 for regional magistrates.
Senior regional magistrates and the deputy chief magistrate want US$3 000 while the chief magistrate’s salary should be US$3 300.
Court interpreters earn between US$147 and US$163 while a clerk of court earns around US$156.