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    The Zimbabwe Court Structure 1

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    Charles Yohane
     The supreme court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from all lower courts including High court and any other courts.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The Zimbabwe Court Structure 1

    Uploaded by

    Charles Yohane
    475 views4 pages
     The supreme court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from all lower courts including High court and any other courts.

    Original Title

    1210161734the

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     The supreme court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from all lower courts including High court and any other courts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    475 views4 pages

    The Zimbabwe Court Structure 1

    Uploaded by

    Charles Yohane
     The supreme court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from all lower courts including High court and any other courts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    THE ZIMBABWE COURT STRUCTURE

    1.THE VILLIAGE COURT

     Also known as the ‘The people’s domestic courts’


    and may be equated to the Old Chief’s or
    Headman’s court
     Their basic function is to arbitrate in disputes
    arising in their immediate ward or community.
     All decisions of the village court are subject to
    automatic review by the community court

    2.THE COMMUNITY COURT

     There are formal courts of record


     The procedure followed in court is of a formal nature,
    similar to that in the high court or the magistrate’s
    court and it is obligatory that the proceedings are
    recorded.
     As of the village court, the community court also
    applies customary law
     In some instances the otherwise formal nature of the
    hearings is modified by the provision e.g cross-
    examining the defendant which is completely not
    permissible in High court.
     There is more lively debate as compared to the rigidly
    formal approach.
     The only crimes that may be brought for trial before it
    are theft,assault.
    3.THE MAGISTRATE COURT

     It derives its existence from an act of Parliament,


    and all its powers and duties are determined by that
    enactment
     The act in question here is the Magistrates court Act
    Chapter 18
     There are magistrates’ court presided over by
    resident magistrates in all the major centres of the
    country and in many minor centres as well
     Magistrates are civil servants and initially are
    usually appointed from the clerical section of the
    department of magistrates’ courts
     Magistrates may try any crime except murder or any
    case requiring the imposition of the death penalty
     A magistrate may also preside over a preparatory
    examination. a preparatory examination is not a
    trial but an inquiry
     Rules governing the preparatory examinations are
    contained in the Criminal Procedure and Evidence
    act Chapter 59
     It may be noted that the magistrate’s duties do not
    begin and end in the court. He spends many hours
    researching the law and considering the facts that
    apply to the case before him
     Furthermore he is responsible for various
    administrative functions such as considering
    applications for adoption and adjudicating upon
    applications for maintain ace brought under the
    maintainace Act chapter 35
     The magistrate is also the visiting justice to the
    prisons, ensuring that the food accommodation and
    other facilities available to the prisoners are
    satisfied and investigating and acting upon any
    complains received

    4.THE HIGH COURT

     In both civil and criminal cases the high court may


    hear any matter recognised by law
     In criminal matters the high court may pass any
    sentence permitted by law, it alone may impose the
    death penalty
     Its powers of punishment are unrestricted in regard to
    the amount of fine or the term of imprisonment that
    may be imposed.
     The only exception to this is in relation to certain
    statutes which prescribes the maximum penalty that
    may be passed for contraventions of its provisions.
     The high court has the power to review and alter the
    decisions on lower courts
     Any appeal as to conviction must go to the supreme
    court

    5. THE SUPREME COURT

     Normally sits Harare, but on occasion has a session in


    Bulawayo and the judges of these courts sit
    periodically at Gweru, Mutare and Masvingo.
     The supreme court has jurisdiction to hear appeals
    from all lower courts including High court and any
    other courts.
     It has the power to confirm, set aside or vary the
    judgement or order appealed against

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