CJ Malaba Orders Further Postponement Of Court Cases

Chief Justice Luke Malaba has ordered Magistrates and Judges to further postpone pending criminal and civil cases following the extension of the coronavirus national lockdown by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday.

Malaba also cancelled all summonses and subpoenas directing accused persons and witnesses to appear in court between April 20 and May 3. He, however, said that courts may continue to hear bail application cases. In a statement Malaba said:

All pending criminal cases originally remanded to March 30, 31, April 1,2,6,7,8,9,10,14,15,16,17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29 and 30 shall be automatically rolled over to May 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, June 1, 2, 3 and 4.

All summonses and subpoenas issued directing accused persons and witnesses to appear in court between April 20 and May 3 are cancelled and shall be reissued after the expiry of the lockdown. All sales in execution are hereby stayed for the duration of the lockdown.

He added that the directive will be in force until the expiry of the lockdown. The directive comes after he also directed three weeks ago that all trials, non-urgent hearings and civil weddings be deferred for at least two months.

Malaba said that the directive which is in adherence to the president’s order which bans all gatherings is also a way to curb the spread of coronavirus.

More: The Chronicle