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Justice Nokuthula Moyo during the official opening of the Hwange High Court circuit

Leonard Ncube Senior Court Reporter
A HIGH Court judge yesterday bemoaned the loss of lives over petty domestic disputes.
Officially opening the First Term of the Hwange High Court Circuit, Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nokuthula Moyo said the increasing cases of people killed over petty domestic disputes was very disturbing. She said for example last year 48 murder cases came before the Hwange High Court Circuit and most cases involved petty domestic disputes.

Twelve murder cases are lined up for this circuit, which runs until March 21.
Justice Moyo appealed to members of the public to desist from engaging in violence as a way of resolving disputes.

“Most criminal cases coming before this court are murder cases. Our people need to move away from the use of violence to resolve disputes,” she said.
Justice Moyo said some of the murders were committed during altercations over very minor and insignificant issues.

“It is prudent therefore that each one of us takes it upon themselves to desist from violent tendencies and behaviour that foments violence. Domestic disputes and love triangles are the major causes of deaths,” she said.

Justice Moyo urged communities and families to use peaceful means of resolving disputes.
“We should live in peace as communities and this therefore calls for behaviour change. Our society is under siege and it is imperative that each one of us does self-introspection and strive to achieve peace and preserve lives   by desisting from violent behaviour,” said Justice Moyo.

The Hwange circuit covers the six districts of Matabeleland North: Nkayi, Lupane, Binga,  Bubi, Hwange, Tsholotsho and Umguza.
Justice Moyo said there was a need to expedite the justice delivery system and called on all partners involved to work hard to reduce unnecessary delays in completing cases.

She singled out delays caused by finalisation of medical examinations by doctors in terms of the Mental Health Act as one area which needs urgent attention.
“A lot of cases that require procedure in terms of the Mental Health Act clog the system for a long time and create a backlog partly because of the bureaucracy created by the provisions of the Act. A number of cases fail to take off and that grinds the wheels of justice,” said the judge while suggesting amendment to the Act.

She also touched on the involvement of psychiatrists where only one specialist was responsible for the whole of the southern region, thereby slowing down the clearing of cases.

Justice Moyo also lashed out at some litigants who abandon their cases midway after approaching the courts saying this causes unnecessary backlog.