Court halts Chief Justice interviews

Confusion over interviews for the Chief Justice position reigned supreme yesterday, after the High Court granted an order halting the process, but the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) plans to appeal the ruling and will meet today to decide the way forward.

The order follows an application by a fourth year University of Zimbabwe law student, Romeo Zibani, to have the public interviews suspended challenging the composition of the selection panel.

Zibani approached the High Court to compel Justice minister and Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to amend section 180 of the Constitution to allow President Robert Mugabe to directly appoint the new Chief Justice.

Alternatively, Zibani wanted the public interviews to be conducted by an independent commission arguing the four nominees Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Judicial Service Commission secretary, Justice Rita Makarau (pictured), Justice Paddington Garwe and Judge President George Chiweshe compromised the JSC process.