Justice Wilson Sandura dies
Retired judge and former Judge President, Justice Wilson Sandura (74) has died. Justice Sandura died at the Avenues Clinic in Harare where he was receiving treatment after being involved in an accident on the 27th of February this year.
“The accident happened in Mt Darwin two weeks ago and he was in hospital until he died today”, a source is quoted saying.
A legal practitioner, Tendai Ammon Toto described the retired judge as a professional who left a legacy in the law profession and the country at large.
Toto said the law profession has learnt the death of Justice Sandura with shock, saying here is no doubt he contributed immensely in post independence Zimbabwe’s law development.
Justice Sandura retired from the bench on the 29th of July 2011 at the age of 70.
In 1989, he became prominent when he presided over a commission to investigate the abuse of office by government officials in acquiring motor vehicles through Willowvale motors. The high profile case became known as the Willowgate scandal.
He is the only judge reported to have refused a farm offer under Mugabe’s controversial land distribution.
With accusations that the judiciary had been corrupted by President Robert Mugabe’s regime, Sandura remained a voice of reason on the Supreme Court disagreeing with most flawed judgments made by his fellow judges.
When Sandura retired in 2011, he received glowing tributes
The president of the Law Society of Zimbabwe at the time, Tinoziva Bere, said justice Sandura made some of the best judgments on record in this country.
“He was constant and stayed the course like a candle that continued to burn and bring light to a dark room. He is principled and courageous and he can be proud of the service he rendered to the cause of justice and the rule of law in this country,” Bere said.
“He endured service under conditions, which some could not tolerate and resigned. Some of the best judgments on record in this country carry his name; sadly some of them had to be dissenting judgments in the Supreme Court.”
“The judiciary is poorer without the skill he goes away with. We hope he is available to save this country in other capacities to advance the cause of justice,” said Bere .
Prominent defence lawyer, Jonathan Samkange, said Justice Sandura enriched the judiciary process in Zimbabwe adding that from a judicial point, he is a national hero.
“He was his own man. He did not go with the flow. He stood as one man and justified himself. His judgments were good, sound and well-reasoned even when they were dissenting judgments,” said Samkange.
“He brought out the jurisprudence aspect in his judgments. I compare him with two English judges, Lord Denning and Lord Wilber-force. There is Lord Denning, Lord Wilberforce and Justice Sandura,” Samkange added at the time.
