Wednesday, 10 June 2020

ALL COURTROOMS CLOSED TODAY


ALL courtrooms across the country will be closed today as the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) celebrates 10 years of existence.

Instead, members of the public are being invited to visit the courthouses to familiarise and inquire about operations of the commission and its various departments.

JSC officers will be on standby at all the 69 courthouses countrywide to attend to queries related to the country’s court laws and operations of the courts.

June 10, 2010 is the date when JSC officially came into existence and the day is celebrated yearly through an open day.

JSC spokesperson Ms Rumbidzai Takawira said the open day is meant to allow members of the public access to justice in line with the commission’s thrust of ensuring that the underprivileged have access to the justice system.

“The courts will be closed. JSC is celebrating a decade of existence and holding the open day on the 10th of June 2020 makes it all the more special. The day marks complete separation of the administration of the affairs of the judiciary from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

“The current strategic plan (2016-2020) includes the promotion of greater access to justice with particular focus on the underprivileged and vulnerable in society as one of its main goals and this day fulfils that objective,” said Ms Takawira.

She said the idea of an open day started in 2015 when JSC hosted an awareness campaign in the country’s 10 provinces. 

“The day provides an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions about the operations of the various courts and departments as a means of sensitising them. This serves as a means of informing the public of the operations and activities of the courts and departments, as well as accessibility,” added Ms Takawira.

Some members of the society are not familiar with operations of the courts and face challenges when they seek legal help.

Some have only been to courts as litigants and struggle to familiarise themselves with legal procedures.

People will be given brochures containing information in various languages about the courts so they appreciate how the courts operate. “People will be able to lodge complaints or give feedback, whether negative or positive about JSC and the courts,” she said.

JSC will also honour long-serving members today. Among the achievements in its 10-year-old history, the JSC has moved closer to its clients through web-based solutions. Chronicle

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