News / National
MPs hail Karoi's new regional court
11 Sep 2016 at 23:51hrs | Views
National Assembly members in Mashonaland West Province have hailed the coming of a regional court to Karoi saying the move will expedite justice delivery particularly to people in Hurungwe and Kariba, who currently endure travelling long distances to the Chinhoyi Regional Court. A regional court is the highest level court presided over by a magistrate and deals with serious criminal cases including rape, robbery and attempted murder.
Construction of the court — now almost complete — is being funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). Chief Magistrate Mr Mishrod Guvamombe said the decentralisation will help shorten distances travelled by people in Karoi, Hurungwe and Kariba thereby improving access to justice by court users.
Hurungwe East Member of Parliament Sarah Mahoka said the coming of the court to Karoi was welcome since the trial of cases like rape would be done using fresh evidence. "The coming of this court means that the honeymoon is over for rapists. Trials will be done when evidence would still be fresh. This is what we have been calling for all along," she said.
Hurungwe North MP Reuben Marumahoko hailed the development saying because of the long distance between places like Kariba and Chinhoyi some witnesses ended up defaulting court hearings because of lack of cash thereby weakening some cases against offenders.
He also added that because of the slow pace at which new cases were dealt with at the Chinhoyi Regional Court, some cases ended up causing a lot of stress and even death on the accused persons.
"When someone is accused of a crime and there is no quick finalisation of the matter it is like you are punishing that person mentally and emotionally. Remember no one is guilty until proven guilty.
"Because one would be troubled over their fate for a long time, they may end up developing stress which may lead to deterioration of health and even death. Justice delayed is always justice denied," he said. Hurungwe Central MP Godfrey Beremauro hailed the coming of the court to Karoi saying the move was long overdue.
He said when a person has a pending case in court — depending on the gravity of the matter — it was very difficult for them to come up with meaningful developmental plans as they would not know what their fate would hold for them.
"On behalf of the people of my constituency — Hurungwe Central — I join the rest of the people in Kariba and Hurungwe in welcoming the decentralisation which I believe will greatly improve justice delivery in the area," he said.
Beremauro said because of the backlog pressure at Chinhoyi Regional Court, one of his farm workers is still appearing at the court for a rape case he was accused of seven years ago. Mr Guvamombe said Karoi Regional Court is set to open as soon as it is complete and a regional magistrate will be recruited if Treasury gives the go-ahead.
"Karoi Regional Court will open as soon as it is complete. In the fullness of time, once we are allowed by treasury to recruit, we will deploy a regional magistrate at the court," he said.
Construction of the court — now almost complete — is being funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). Chief Magistrate Mr Mishrod Guvamombe said the decentralisation will help shorten distances travelled by people in Karoi, Hurungwe and Kariba thereby improving access to justice by court users.
Hurungwe East Member of Parliament Sarah Mahoka said the coming of the court to Karoi was welcome since the trial of cases like rape would be done using fresh evidence. "The coming of this court means that the honeymoon is over for rapists. Trials will be done when evidence would still be fresh. This is what we have been calling for all along," she said.
Hurungwe North MP Reuben Marumahoko hailed the development saying because of the long distance between places like Kariba and Chinhoyi some witnesses ended up defaulting court hearings because of lack of cash thereby weakening some cases against offenders.
He also added that because of the slow pace at which new cases were dealt with at the Chinhoyi Regional Court, some cases ended up causing a lot of stress and even death on the accused persons.
"When someone is accused of a crime and there is no quick finalisation of the matter it is like you are punishing that person mentally and emotionally. Remember no one is guilty until proven guilty.
"Because one would be troubled over their fate for a long time, they may end up developing stress which may lead to deterioration of health and even death. Justice delayed is always justice denied," he said. Hurungwe Central MP Godfrey Beremauro hailed the coming of the court to Karoi saying the move was long overdue.
He said when a person has a pending case in court — depending on the gravity of the matter — it was very difficult for them to come up with meaningful developmental plans as they would not know what their fate would hold for them.
"On behalf of the people of my constituency — Hurungwe Central — I join the rest of the people in Kariba and Hurungwe in welcoming the decentralisation which I believe will greatly improve justice delivery in the area," he said.
Beremauro said because of the backlog pressure at Chinhoyi Regional Court, one of his farm workers is still appearing at the court for a rape case he was accused of seven years ago. Mr Guvamombe said Karoi Regional Court is set to open as soon as it is complete and a regional magistrate will be recruited if Treasury gives the go-ahead.
"Karoi Regional Court will open as soon as it is complete. In the fullness of time, once we are allowed by treasury to recruit, we will deploy a regional magistrate at the court," he said.
Source - the herald
