Courts suspend trials due to stationery

Most magistrate courts in the Southern Region have suspended trials due to stationery scarcity, further crippling the country’s justice delivery system.

In some cases, the courts cannot afford pens and papers for case proceedings; thus, subjecting court users to psychological torture.

Some defence lawyers, in an effort to have their clients’ cases completed, have sometimes reportedly offered papers and pens for the presiding magistrates to hear their cases.

Judiciary spokesperson Mlenga Mvula confirmed the development yesterday, but blamed Treasury for creating the predicament.

He said lack of stationery was just one of the myriad challenges the Judiciary was facing due to funding woes.

For three months, Mvula said, Treasury has not been releasing funding for other recurrent transactions (ORT) such as fuel, airtime and stationery to the Judiciary, a development that has greatly choked the lower courts’ ever growing case lists.

While reports indicate that fewer trials are being heard, several magistrates in Southern Region districts have reportedly stopped presiding over cases and setting dates until Treasury releases funding for stationery.

But in an interview, Treasury spokesperson Nations Msowoya said yesterday he needed more time to find out where the problem is for the cheques to get “stuck” at his office.

He said: “There are several reasons why funding is sometimes withheld. It may be that they already depleted their cash flow or did not submit their returns but on this one I need time to find out from officers responsible whether the problem is with Treasury or the Judiciary.”

But human rights activist Victor Mhango said denying the Judiciary funding for operations was a sign that “this other arm of government was not needed and its very survival is now in question.”