The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has invited members of the public to air their views on whether judges should continue wearing Judicial wigs or not.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) recently said judges in higher courts to abandon the wearing of judicial wigs arguing that the practice is outdated and therefore irrelevant.
The lawyers said the money being used to buy the wigs could be used for other important things.
In 2019, the JSC purchased 64 of the wigs in question at a total cost of £118 400 (US$132,973.86) from UK firm Stanely Ley Legal Outfitters in London.
In a statement, the JSC said that Chief Justice Luke Malaba has established a Judicial Wigs Committee to see if the regalia is still necessary. Reads the statement:
CALL FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE DEBATE REGARDING THE REMOVAL OR RETENTION OF JUDICIAL WIGS: JUDICIARY OF ZIMBABWE
Judges as part of their judicial attire, wear judicial wigs both ceremonial, worn during occasions such as the official opening of the legal year, and the normal court wigs, worn during ordinary court operations or proceedings.
There has been an ongoing heated debate worldwide on whether or not both types of judicial wigs, should be retained or removed as part of the official judicial attire and the transformation of the judiciary.
These calls have now gained considerable traction and are now echoed in the Zimbabwean Judiciary.
The Honourable Judges of the Superior Courts debated the subject matter at the end of the First term Symposium held in April 2022 in Masvingo.
It is on this basis that the Honourable Chief Justice, Mr Luke Malaba, constituted the Judicial Wigs Committee(JWC) to stir discussions and solicit the views and comments of all stakeholders in the justice delivery system and the public.
Thus, as a way of promoting inclusivity and democratic governance, the Judicial Wigs Committee wishes to elicit public opinion as part of the concerted efforts to inform and direct public policy on this issue.
CONSULTATION FORMS
Anyone intending to contribute towards this debate on judicial wigs in the Zimbabwean judiciary can obtain consultation forms or questionnaires from:
i. The office of the Secretary, Judicial Service Commission House, No 161 Josiah Chinamano Avenue, corner Josiah Chinamano Avenue and Seventh Street, HARARE or
ii. The website of the JSC at www.jsc.org.zw where the forms can be downloaded.
Please fill out the consultation form or questionnaire to assist the Judicial Wigs Committee in gathering data on the above-stated inquiry.
Once completed, the forms must be submitted to the office of the Secretary, Judicial Service Commission House, NO. 161 Josiah Chinamano Avenue, corner Josiah Chinamano Avenue & Seventh Street, HARARE, OR electronically on emawondo@jsc.org.zw or Iphilemon@jsc.org.zw by no later than close of business on 3 November 2022.