MAGISTRATES in Bulawayo have resorted to going to prisons
to handle some cases as the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS)
has been failing to bring inmates to court after its truck broke down two weeks
ago.
Since November 11, magistrates at Tredgold and Western
Commonage courts have been going to prisons or further remanding prisoners on
remand in absentia. At court, magistrates have only been dealing with matters
of suspects who are out of custody.
A prosecutor told a
Western Commonage magistrate that an accused person Chelesani Sibanda (34) who
is facing attempted murder charges had failed to attend court as the ZPCS truck
has been grounded.
Prosecutor Stewart Madzore told magistrate Stephen Ndlovu
that Sibanda who is facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly poisoned
his three children had failed to get transport.
The magistrate moved the matter to December 5. Three magistrates told The Chronicle that in some cases
they are going to prisons to remand some inmates out of custody in deserving cases.
Questions were sent to the ZPCS national public relations
officer, Ms Meya Kanyeze on Tuesday last week over the matter but she had not
responded by last night.This is not the first time that ZPCS has faced
transport problems compromising the delivery of justice.
Last year in May, inmates were not taken to court for days
after the truck broke down. In November 2014, ZPCS failed to bring prisoners to
Bulawayo courts for three consecutive days due to a shortage of fuel, forcing
courts to indefinitely postpone some trials. Chronicle
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