Prosecutors and law officers yesterday went on strike protesting against salary discrepancies between them and magistrates. Attempts to get a comment from Deputy Attorney-General Florence Ziyambi on the strike failed after her secretary said she was “too busy to talk to the Press”.
Justice and Legal Affairs Deputy Minister Obert Gutu from the MDC-T however said he sympathised with the prosecutors, but said their concerns should be addressed by the AG’s Office.
“I sympathise with the prosecutors. Surely they hold the same qualifications with magistrates, but unfortunately we as a ministry no longer have the mandate to look into the nitty-gritty of prosecutors’ concerns. That is now the responsibility of the AG’s Office, an independent office,” he said.
The strike disrupted the courts as most cases that were set for trial were postponed. At most courts countrywide, senior prosecutors remained at work and were being assisted by interns from the police, army and prison service. Worst affected were suspects in remand prison who appeared at the High Court for bail applications and appeals.
Their cases were further postponed due to the unavailability of the prosecutors. Justice Joseph Musakwa, who was sitting with the newly-appointed Justice Hlekani Mwayera in the bails court, had to postpone about 15 bail applications. Eighteen bail applications were on the High Court’s roll in Harare and only three were heard, courtesy of two army prosecutors.
Prosecutors from Mbare, Chitungwiza, Harare Magistrates’ Court and those from the AG’s head office gathered at the New Government Complex’s Central Avenue entrance chanting slogans, singing and dancing. The complex houses the AG’s Office and the Justice Ministry’s offices. Zimbabwe Law Officers’ Association secretary-general Mr Dereck Charamba said the strike was nationwide.
“All courts throughout the country are not fully operational. Our membership of 225 prosecutors is not going to court. There are only a few officers who remained at the stations to secure dockets. Today, we are gathered here to make a statement. The strike continues until we get what we want,” said Mr Charamba.
Mr Charamba said the AG’s office had threatened them against joining the strike by phoning the provincial offices instructing the managers to compile lists of those who joined the action.
“They threatened us verbally, but we responded to those threats in writing. The AG, his deputies and other bosses up there are not our employers. We are not even afraid of them. They do not have the power to fire us. They will never succeed in intimidating us. They are simply employees like us and we are not afraid of them.
“I heard the Deputy AG (Criminal) has already phoned Masvingo requesting a list of those who joined the strike, but I will submit the membership list to them from here,” he said. At the Harare Magistrates’ Court, business was low with only interns and seniors postponing matters. The same situation prevailed at Chitungwiza Courts.
One of the striking officers Mrs Sarah Bosha yesterday said they wanted equal treatment with their counterparts (magistrates) as they went to the same schools.
“We are told our counterparts are earning far more than the US$700 that we read in newspapers. Our salaries should be in tandem with the level of our education. We want the authorities to get money to pay us from the same source they are getting money to pay magistrates,” she said.
Another senior prosecutor Mr Nathaniel Chigoro said prosecutors had lost dignity as professionals because of allegations of corruption.
“The complainants or victims and also accused persons no longer trust us. Our bosses also do not trust us because of rampant corruption as a result of starvation. We don’t have accommodation and at the end of the day we stay with complainants and accused persons compromising us as professionals,” he said.
He said most prosecutors used public transport, a situation which he said compromised their position. “Our employer has never made any effort to consider allocating us residential stands or even give us land under the ongoing agrarian reform.
“We have always been at the helm of defending the State and country and it appears our role is not being recognised and this time law officers and prosecutors are saying our good work has to be recognised,” he said.
“We belong to ZILOA and no political organisation. Our concern is a genuine economic one,” he said. The prosecutors yesterday said they would meet again today at the AG’s Office and go to the Public Service Commission at the National Social Security Authority Building and the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
