Magistrate fumes for sustained detention of inmate...

Magistrate fumes for sustained detention of inmates owing to police, state laxity

Zim Now Writer

The state and police and state should expedite the prosecution process or it will leave the judiciary with no option but to free accused persons on remand.

This was said by Provincial Magistrate Denis Mangosi who, to show he meant his word, removed two persons – Tinashe Kanhukamwe and Prince Chiyambuka - from remand owing to lack of progress in their matter.

They were charged with unlawful entry and have been in custody since July 2021.

“If this continues, I will remove all accused persons from remand because some of them have been in custody since 2021, and you are still gathering evidence.

“We are tired of this. That is why we have a backlog. We need to investigate this. Police officers bring accused persons here and dump them, then leave. From now on, whenever officers bring an accused person here, they should remain until we are done with them,” Magistrate Mangosi said in frustration.

In some instances, cases have dragged on for months with the State claiming incomplete dockets or investigations for the delays in proceedings and many accused persons have gone for more than six months without trial leaving magistrates with no option but to release suspects.