Special courts have been set up in areas hardest hit by machete gangs, while those for corruption cases will soon be ready.

This comes as judges have already been appointed, with assistance sought from Uganda to ensure investigators and prosecutors of corruption meet the required standards.

Speaking at the opening of the 2020 Legal Year yesterday, Chief Justice Luke Malaba said special courts have been set up countrywide to deal specifically with organised machete gang attackers that are terrorising citizens, especially in gold mining areas, and show the Judiciary had capacity to fight crime and enforce the law.

The specialised courts are expected to clamp down speedily and decisively on the machete gang menace following grisly murders, including that of a Kadoma police officer, robberies and vicious assaults.

Machete gangs have become a major force in gold-rich mining towns like Kwekwe, Kadoma, Bindura and Chegutu, where they are killing and sexually abusing gold miners and civilians.

They have also moved into some towns and cities.
Chief Justice Malaba strongly warned rogue elements behind the wave of machete and knife violence.

“As we speak, the country is gripped by another spate of violence perpetrated by the so-called machete gangs,” he said.

“The Judiciary acknowledges the work being undertaken by law enforcement agencies in bringing perpetrators of that violence to book.

“May I assure the nation that the courts stand ready to decisively deal with those accused of these offences in accordance with the law. Special courts to specifically try the cases have been set up in all affected areas across the country. I call upon all stakeholders in the administration of justice to make concerted efforts to end this problem.”

Chief Justice Malaba said institutions mandated to protect citizens could not sit back and watch while a few rogue elements terrorised the nation for their selfish benefits.

“We hear stories of callous murders of ordinary Zimbabweans and law enforcement agents,” he said.

“Citizens’ rights of freedom of movement, freedom to conduct their affairs without fear and freedom of association are being violated with impunity by the gangsters.

The organised terror gangs have the potential to create anarchy if they are not quickly neutralised.State media