AG office's approach to national issues questioned

Lawyers in the Civil Division of the Attorney-General's (AG) Office have once again come under fire from the bench in the wake of High Court Judge Francis Bere's criticism of their casual approach to matters of national importance.

Justice Bere said lawyers from the AG's Office were failing to treat matters of public importance with the seriousness they deserve after they once again failed to file their heads of argument in a matter involving the Sexual Rights Centre and the police, hardly two weeks to the day they botched a similar case before a full Constitutional Court bench in Harare.

The AG's Office defied a directive issued two weeks ago by Justice Nicholas Mathonsi who ordered them to file heads on behalf of Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and Chief Superintendent Fungai Dengu, the officer commanding police in Bulawayo Central District who were cited as respondents in the matter.

Sexual Rights Centre was seeking an order sanctioning a march by its members in commemoration of the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers in December. They also wanted an order declaring the prohibition of the march by the police a violation of their rights.