Six new Supreme Court judges were sworn in yesterday to bring the Supreme Court back to a full team after the promotion of five judges to the Constitutional Court.
Appeals are normally heard by a bench of three Supreme
Court judges.
The new Supreme Court judges — the immediate past Judge
President of the High Court Justice George Chiweshe and Justices Alfas
Chitakunye, Samuel Kudya, Felistus Chatukuta, Joseph Musakwa and Hlekani
Mwayera — took their oaths of office before Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth
Gwaunza in Harare.
They were elevated from the High Court following the
appointment of Justices Paddington Garwe, Rita Makarau, Anne-Mary Gowora, Ben
Hlatshwayo and Bharat Patel as judges
of the Constitutional Court bench.
President Mnangagwa promoted the six senior High Court
judges to the Supreme Court bench after consultations with the Judicial Service
Commission as required by law.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent
Secretary Mrs Virginia Mabiza said the delivery of justice would now be
enhanced.
“This is a milestone achievement in the delivery of the
justice system. As you know the same bench was sitting for both the Supreme and
Constitutional Court. This appointment will bring timeliness in the working of
the two courts,” she said.
Commenting on the Chief Justice Malaba case, she said
Government was confident of winning the appeal.
“We have confidence in the appeal that we have made. But
whatever happens in the courts is beyond our control,” said Mrs Mabiza.
The Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice sit on the
Constitutional Court by right, but the other five judges are appointed as
individuals from the pool of qualified and experienced candidates. Herald
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