ZPCS fails to take remand prisoners to court

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) yesterday failed to deliver remand prisoners to courts in Bulawayo following a breakdown of its two trucks.

The failure by ZPCS to bring prisoners to court forced magistrates to postpone their cases and the courts ended up dealing only with cases of suspects straight from police cells and those on bail.

ZPCS public relations officer for Bulawayo, Principal Correctional Officer Garainashe Moyo, attributed the mishap to routine servicing of their trucks.

“We couldn’t bring inmates to Tredgold because we were servicing our trucks which we use to transport prisoners to court so that they are in sound condition. We had communicated with the courts and they were aware of the issue, but however, tomorrow (today) we will bring inmates to court,” he said.

Sources said ZPCS yesterday had to approach CMED for assistance to transport a murder suspect to the Bulawayo High Court.

When Chronicle visited Tredgold Building yesterday, all regional courts were not sitting for trials.

This was not the first time for ZPCS to fail to bring prisoners to court.

In November 2014, ZPCS failed to bring prisoners to Bulawayo courts for three consecutive days due to a shortage of fuel, forcing courts to indefinitely postpone some trials for suspects in remand prisons at Khami Prison Complex on the outskirts of the city.

@mashnets