Online Reporter
Daniel Chigunwe
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE has called for human beings to retain the final say in criminal justice decisions as artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies become increasingly embedded in policing and the courts.
Speaking at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Dr Kazembe Kazembe said AI should strengthen, rather than replace, the judgment and accountability of justice professionals.
Dr Kazembe said the principle was particularly important where technology could affect an individual’s liberty, fundamental rights or legal status.
“AI may assist the judge; it should never become the judge. AI may assist the prosecutor; it should never become the prosecutor,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe’s experience with the digitalisation of the justice chain, from police case management to the Judicial Service Commission’s Integrated Electronic Case Management System and virtual courts, demonstrated how technology could improve efficiency without removing human responsibility.
Dr Kazembe cited Zimbabwe’s Electronic Traffic Management System as an example of AI-supported enforcement where human intervention remains possible to safeguard motorists’ rights.
His intervention comes as countries grapple with the opportunities presented by AI alongside concerns over privacy, cybersecurity, algorithmic bias, digital evidence and the growing sophistication of technology-enabled crime.
He called for investment not only in technology, but also in digital literacy, digital evidence, cybersecurity, data protection and institutional capacity, arguing that sustainable digital transformation depended on people and governance as much as hardware and software.
The UN Congress, running from September 26 to October 1, brings together governments, experts, civil society and academia to discuss crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law.
