The Judicial Services Commission has stopped trials and court weddings for at least two months due to coronavirus outbreak that has hit the country.
In a statement released by Chief Justice Luke Malaba said the JSC is putting in place protection measures to combat the global pandemic that has already claimed a life in the country.
“Following the public notice and pronouncements by His Excellency the President on COVID-19 protection measures the Chief Justice now directs that the following measures will apply with immediate effect at all courts;
“Trials and non-urgent hearings must be postponed for a period not less than two months except urgent matters, bail application and initial remands.
“All weddings are cancelled are cancelled. Parties may approach the courts for rebooking after a period of two months,” reads part of the statement.
The JSC will also sanitize and fumigate all surfaces at reception areas, court rooms and ‘areas of potential risk’.
The move will also see court hearings being confined to parties involved and their lawyers only with the public being discouraged from coming to court.
“In instances where hearings are held, these should be confined to parties involved in case the case and their legal practitioners. Those not involved in the case are discouraged from attending or coming to court,” further notes the statement.
Other measures put in place by the JSC includes mandatory sanitization of members of the Judicial Services Commission at courts, legal practitioners and litigants attending court sessions, maintaining a distance of at least two meters from the next person when attending court or registry offices, disinfecting any immediate surface area with the disinfectant and paper towels made available in court and frequent washing of hands with soap and running water or rub your hands with alcohol based hand sanitizers for at least 20 seconds.
Zimbabwe has so far confirmed two positive cases with the second patient, Zororo Makamba having succumbed to the deadly pandemic today.
