COURT WATCH 4/2020
[22nd April 2020]
Chief Justice’s Practice Direction 2 of 2020 on
Court Operations during the Extension of the National Shutdown
On Sunday 19th April – following the President’s announcement of the extension of the National Shutdown from 20th April to 3rd May – the Chief Justice issued the following self-explanatory Practice Direction 2 of 2020. The new Practice Direction amends Practice Direction 1 of 2020 [see Court Watch 3/2020 [link]] to take account of the extension of the National Lockdown.
PRACTICE DIRECTION 2 OF 2020
COURT OPERATIONS DURING THE COVID-19 NATIONAL LOCKDOWN PERIOD
AMENDMENT NOTICE
Amendment to Practice Direction 1 of 2020
1) Practice Direction 1 of 2020 is amended in paragraphs 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 by the deletion of those paragraphs and substitution with the following:-
Criminal matters
“10. All pending criminal cases originally remanded to the dates shown in Column ‘A’ shall be automatically rolled over to the dates shown in column ‘B’:-
| Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ | ||
| Original Remand Date | New date of remand | ||
| 30 March 2020 | 4 May 2020 | ||
| 31 March 2020 | 5 May 2020 | ||
| 1 April 2020 | 6 May 2020 | ||
| 2 April 2020 | 7 May 2020 | ||
| 3 April 2020 | 8 May 2020 | ||
| 6 April 2020 | 11 May 2020 | ||
| 7 April 2020 | 12 May 2020 | ||
| 8 April 2020 | 13 May 2020 | ||
| 9 April 2020 | 14 May 2020 | ||
| 10 April 2020 | 15 May 2020 | ||
| 14 April 2020 | 18 May 2020 | ||
| 15 April 2020 | 19 May 2020 | ||
| 16 April 2020 | 20 May 2020 | ||
| 17 April 2020 | 21 May 2020 | ||
| 20 April 2020 | 22 May 2020 | ||
| 21 April 2020 | 26 May 2020 |
| |
| 22 April 2020 | 27 May 2020 |
| |
| 23 April 2020 | 28 May 2020 |
| |
| 24 April 2020 | 29 May 2020 |
| |
| 27 April 2020 | 1 June 2020 |
| |
| 28 April 2020 | 2 June 2020 |
| |
| 29 April 2020 | 3 June 2020 |
| |
| 30 April 2020 | 4 June 2020 |
| |
11. All summonses and subpoenas issued directing accused persons and witnesses to appear in court between 20 April 2020 and 3 May 2020 are cancelled and shall be reissued after the expiry of the lockdown period.
12. All sales in execution are hereby stayed for the duration of the lockdown period.”
Effective date
13. In light of the extension of the period of lockdown, this Practice Direction shall accordingly remain in effect until the expiry of the extended lockdown period.”
Hon. Mr Justice L Malaba
Chief Justice of Zimbabwe
HARARE
19 April 2020
