Madzokere with jacket inscribed 92
Movement for Democratic Change Alliance activist, Tungamirai Madzokere says he went to prison a married man, but because of the country’s failed judiciary system he found his wife gone, with property and kids.
Madzokere says his wife couldn’t wait any more as he spent 8 years behind bars, only to be recently found innocent and released by the Supreme Court.
Madzokere and his co-accused Last Maengahama were jailed on allegations that they had killed a police officer.
They appealed to the ruling and convicting, but it took 8 years for the matter to be heard while they languished in prison.
Meanwhile, one of their lawyers, Charles Kwaramba says: “We are court officials, in the matters we have handled so far we have been disappointed by the justice system in its entirety.”
Another lawyer who also represented them, Beatrice Mtetwa says: “I do not believe our justice system is being handled in a way it was envisaged in the Constitution.”
Apparently, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s lawyer, advocate Tino Chinyoka recently bemoaned the country’s criminal justice procedures saying it is taking longer than necessary to conclude certain cases, especially after an appeal.
He also said it is time to address the structure of the country’s criminal court system.
“Like, what role was played by the assessors in this trial? Are they representative of society or do we need juries in murder cases? The death penalty? We could have executed innocent people!” He adds.
Meanwhile, Chinyoka denies assertions that the country’s justice system is captured by the status quo, saying when a court reverses an appeal is evidence enough to show that the system works.
-Zwnews
