Zim moves closer to virtual courts Dr Jenfan Muswere

Angela Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
MEMBERS of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) are receiving e-skills training to pave way for the new Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) that will facilitate virtual sittings of the courts among others.

The IECMS is a digital system that seeks to take full advantage of the benefits of flexibility and automation of court processes which foster efficiency, transparency and improved access to justice.

Under the IECMS court procedures are expected to be expedited while minimising direct human contact at certain stages of the process, thus eliminating opportunities for corrupt tendencies.

The Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon Dr Jenfan Muswere said the JSC e-skills training workshop was a result of a collaboration between the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services and the JSC.

He said the training will equip JSC members with ICT skills as the country is set to launch a digitalised court system.

“As the world evolves, we must also evolve and adapt to new ways of performing tasks in our various areas of expertise.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed to all and sundry that there was an urgent need for us to embrace technology if we truly hoped to continue functioning without interruption,” said Dr Muswere.

He also commended the judiciary for adopting technological skills.

“Zimbabwe’s judiciary has been a pacesetter in adopting the use of technology to administer justice.

While the Integrated Electronic Case Management System will only be launched on 1 May 2022 it is common cause that almost all judges of the superior courts have received e-skills training,” he said.

“This e-skills training will see the judiciary ready to navigate the new Integrated Electronic Case Management System laden with features such as e-filing and virtual sittings of the courts.

This state of affairs is evidence of a judiciary that is ready to evolve and adapt to new technology.”

During the official opening of the 2022 Legal Year at the Bulawayo High Court last month, Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza revealed that Covid-19 hugely disrupted court operations and the smooth administration of justice in the past two years.

Statistics from JSC showed that the temporary closure of courts during Covid-19 lockdown affected both the number of cases heard and completed in the courts.

The backlog nationally from the Constitutional, Supreme, Labour, High, Regional and the Magistrates’ courts from 2021 stands at 17 070 cases.

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