Source: Govt notes public fury over Chinese lenient sentence -Newsday Zimbabwe
JUSTICE minister Ziyambi Ziyambi and Prosecutor-General Loyce Matanda-Moyo have acknowledged public anger over recent disparate sentences for drug offenders, particularly foreigners, in the country.
This follows a controversial case where nine foreign nationals arrested for cocaine possession in Harare walked free after being fined a mere US$150 each.
Speaking at an Anti-Drug and Substance Abuse Courts training programme in Harare yesterday, Ziyambi said the public backlash highlighted the urgent need for specialised courts.
“Presently, some criticism may be noted regarding the disparate sentences handed down to drug offenders,” Ziyambi said.
“Our view is that public outcry is not an attack on the objectivity of judicial officers, but rather an indication of the need for dedicated courts managed by specially trained officers.”
He noted that such courts would ensure adequate resources are focused on drug-related offences, providing a “robust platform for their transparent determination and effective resolution”.
Justice Matanda-Moyo in a speech read on her behalf by her deputy, Nelson Mutsonziwa, said the public scrutiny reflected deep concern over fairness.
“The recent case . . . has understandably provoked strong public reaction,” she said.
“Public scrutiny reminds us that the legitimacy of our institutions depends not only on the law we apply, but on how fairly and transparently we apply it.”
They said Zimbabwe faces a national drug crisis, with Ziyambi citing alarming statistics, including projections that drug use in Africa will increase by 40% by 2030.
“Unfortunately, Zimbabwe is playing no small part in this distressing upward trend,” he said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo added: “These statistics are not just numbers; they are a reflection of the deep scars being inflicted on our communities. Families are destroyed. Young people’s aspirations are lost.”
Ziyambi stated that drug abuse is not merely a law and order issue, but a complex crisis with “devastating implications for public health, national security, economic productivity and social stability”.
“The successful prosecution of high-level traffickers and appropriate sentencing that prioritises rehabilitation for users are two sides of the same coin,” he said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo pledged a targeted judicial response.
“We must strike a delicate, but firm balance: zero tolerance for suppliers and traffickers, but rehabilitative justice for those caught in addiction, particularly our youth,” she said.
“Justice must not only be delivered; it must be targeted, effective and informed.”
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