ZHRC Brands Justice System “Rotten” amid Widespread Corruption

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has branded the justice system “rotten,” citing corruption, bias, and court delays (image source)

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has condemned the country’s justice delivery system as “rotten,” citing deep-seated corruption, procedural delays and inequality before the law that erode public confidence and deny citizens fair access to justice. The remarks came during a consultative anti-corruption workshop in Harare attended by judicial officers, prosecutors and civil society representatives.

ZHRC chairperson Jessie Majome said the commission continues to receive complaints exposing misconduct across the police, prosecutorial services, magistrates’ courts and civil justice systems. “Access to justice is for sale,” Majome declared, underscoring widespread perceptions that judicial outcomes can be influenced through bribery and connections.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) echoed ZHRC’s findings, urging a cross-sector reform drive focused on accountability, legislative review, and cultural transformation to uproot entrenched practices. ZACC officials called for tighter coordination among justice institutions to strengthen case management and prosecutorial integrity.

Human-rights monitors and legal experts have long pointed to warning signs: prolonged pre-trial detention, uneven sentencing, and disparities in how locals and foreign nationals are treated in similar cases. The ZHRC urged that the justice sector be prioritised in the new National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS2) to promote transparency and institutional oversight.

Practising lawyers attending the workshop noted that chronic case backlogs, forensic delays, and under-resourced courts worsen opportunities for bribery and manipulation. “Delays are not merely inefficiency; they create windows for wrongdoing and erode litigants’ faith in outcomes,” one senior legal practitioner said, as quoted by NewsDay.

The ZHRC also cited inconsistent rulings in drug-related offences as evidence of selective justice, with locals and foreigners receiving starkly different sentences for identical charges. The commission called for clear sentencing guidelines and independent review mechanisms to restore public trust.

Since its establishment, the ZHRC has documented rights violations in detention facilities, including overcrowding, lack of medical care, and prolonged incarceration without trial — conditions that reinforce perceptions of systemic decay and a failure of due process.

Both ZHRC and ZACC have urged that NACS2 integrate judicial reforms, improved funding for forensic and administrative services, and robust whistle-blower protections. Parliament and the Judiciary are expected to table action plans and oversight hearings in the coming months, with civil society watchdogs pledging to monitor progress closely.