The government has filed a notice to appeal against a High Court ruling that nullified the extension of former Chief Justice Luke Malaba’s term of office.
The appeal is against the entire judgment by three judges, Justices Happias Zhou, Edith Mushore and Justice Jester Charewa on Saturday blocking the extension of Chief Justice Malaba’s service by five years.
The trio ruled that Malaba ceased to be the Chief Justice upon reaching 70 years on May 15, 2021, and that the extension of the service does not apply to incumbent judges of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court.
The appeal was filed by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi together with Attorney-General Advocate Prince Machaya on Monday.
The government makes the appeal after Ziyambi Sunday issued an attack on the judiciary saying it was captured by some foreign elements who were using money to bribe court officials.
The attack has attracted widespread criticism from stakeholders in the legal fraternity with the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) arguing that the minister’s remarks had the effect of diminishing public confidence in the judiciary.
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More: Pindula News; The Herald