Staff Writer
ZIMBABWEAN courts have resumed their normal services, following the relaxation of the lockdown by government, chief Justice Luke Malaba has said.
However, the courts just like any other business will have to be subject to Covid-19 regulations as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
Courts had suspended filing of new cases and other related processes after cases of the Covid-19 pandemic started shooting up at the beginning of the year, resulting in many deaths.
Justice Malaba said the directive from his office applies to the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the High Court, including the offices of the Master and the Sheriff, the Labour Court, the Administrative Court and the Magistrates Court including the Messenger of Court in Zimbabwe
“Normal court operations including the offices of the Master and the Sheriff of the High Court shall resume with effect from March 2, 2021, subject to paragraphs 10, 11, 12, and 13 of this Practice Directions.
“Any person who does not comply with the requirements specified above shall not be allowed entry into court premises, courthouse, courtroom or shall be asked to leave the court premises or courtroom or courthouse,” said Justice Malaba in a statement.
In the latest practice direction, normal court operations and weddings will resume although entry into court premises, courthouses and courtrooms would be limited to litigants, their legal practitioners, necessary witnesses and identified members of the press.
“The filing and processing of new cases, prices, documents, pleadings papers and court orders , including service and execution by the Sheriff and the Messenger of Court shall be done in terms of the applicable Court Rules, legislation or court order.
“For the avoidance of doubt, accused persons originally remanded between January 5, 2021 and March 1, 2021 remain automatically remanded to the dates stated in Practice Direction 4 of 2021,” justice Malaba said.
The chief justice further said all persons who attend court shall at all times be subjected to temperature checks, be required to sanitise their hands at entry into court premises.
He said court operations shall process as prescribed in current practice directions and hours during which registries would be open for litigants, legal practitioners and the public will also be in terms of applicable court rules.
