Police sources said that the unhygienic holding
cells were overcrowded with prisoners, streching police resources,
at a time when police are battling food shortages to feed prisoners.
“The situation at the Bulawayo Central Police Station is just terrible
as the cells are just overcrowded as prisoners are not being taken to
court due to the strike by magistrates. The cells are very unhygienic. There
is a risk of outbreak of diseases since we also face water problems and food
shortages,” said a
police officer based at the Bulawayo Central police station.
The judiciary sector has been hit by a crippling industrial action
after magistrates and support staff downed tools, pressing for a
salary review of over 150 percent among other lucrative perks and
subject to review after every three months.
Enias Magate, the president of the Magistrates Association of Zimbabwe
(MAZ), in a letter to the Ministry of Justice, legal and Parliamentary
Affairs, which is in possession of CAJ News, said the salaries and
working conditions of magistrates were ‘demotivating’ and
‘discouraging.’
The judiciary sector, which battles serious under-funding, has been
hit by a high staff exodus of magistrates and prosecutors in recent
months in protest over low pay and ‘poor’ working conditions.
“The strike has also exposed the fact that police are facing many
challenges in so far as the handling of prisoners is concerned. We
battle serious under-funding as there are no blankets, no food for
prisoners among other challenges,” said another police officer.
Wayne Bvudzijena, the assistant police commissioner, when contacted
for comment said: “Prisons are crowded but the police would try to
prevent outbreak of diseases”
The parliamentary portfolio committee on justice, legal and
parliamentary affairs last year described the situation at the prisons
they visited as “disturbing”, and said malnutrition and disease
outbreaks were common as a result of the sad situation prevailing. – Own
correspondent
Post published in: News