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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has fired High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere for gross incompetence following recommendations by a tribunal, which he appointed to probe her suitability to continue in office.

Last year President Mnangagwa appointed a three-member tribunal to investigate Justice Ndewere’s alleged misconduct following a recommendation by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The JSC accused Justice Ndewere of failure to clear her workload in reasonable time and failure to properly study the file on a thief’s conviction and sentence when she set aside a jail term.

In a statement, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said President Mnangagwa fired Justice Ndewere with immediate effect in terms of Section 187 (8) of the Constitution.

“His Excellency, the President has accordingly, in terms of Section 187 (8) of the Constitution, removed Honourable Justice Erica Ndewere from office with immediate effect,” he said.

Dr Sibanda said the tribunal recommended that Justice Ndewere be removed from office for gross incompetence.

“The tribunal established in terms of Section 187 (3) of the Constitution to inquire into the question of removal from office of Honourable Justice Ndewere has completed its investigations. The tribunal has presented its findings to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in terms of Section 187 (7) of the Constitution,” he said.

“The tribunal has recommended that Honourable Justice Ndewere be removed from office for gross incompetence,” he said.

During her trial at the tribunal, Justice Erica Ndewere denied the charges saying she is being victimised by the JSC for refusing to carry out illegal orders.

She denied allegations that she had 34 outstanding matters when she only had three and urged her accuser to provide the outstanding cases.