Reducing judicial and prosecutorial case backlog

We have a very backward unwritten prosecutorial policy that clings to the false principle that the justice is only achieved when an offender is behind bars. We cannot deal with prosecutions and case backlog that way.

Progressive nations have realised the folly of such flawed thinking. The end of every prosecution must be to ensure that the attention of the defaulter is focused on his wrong, often through an appropriate and condign sentence, and that repair work is done to complainants to the extent that the harm or damage can be fixed.

I work the courts almost literally everyday. It would not surprise you to know that cases as old as 10 years are still being prosecuted at enormous public expense, all because the prosecution is focused on achieving a possible prison term. The DPP has wide powers in terms of when, if at all, to plea bargain or not to prosecute.

Editor's Comment
Routine child vaccination imperative

The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...

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