Courts dilemma over minors

Criminal Courts in Zimbabwe are in quandary on how to sentence minors after the recent ban on corporal punishment on convicted children below 18 years of age by the Supreme Court.

Prosecutors from Harare, Chitungwiza, Mbare and Bindura Magistrates Courts yesterday said the magistrates' courts were still awaiting confirmation on how to handle such criminal cases.

Previously, minors were given corporal punishment after being convicted of a crime.

Corporal punishment was deemed unconstitutional early this year by Judge Easter Muremba. This was in a review case after a juvenile had been sentenced to receive moderate corporal punishment of three strokes after being convicted of rape.

She ruled that Section 353(1) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act Chapter 907 was invalid in terms of Section 167(3) and Section 175 (1)of the new Constitution.