The 2014 Criminal Session of the Lusaka High Court has opened.

06/01/2014

Lady Justice High Court of Zambia Lusaka

Speaking this morning at a ceremony to mark the official opening of the criminal session held at the Supreme Court, High Court Judge Chalwe Mchenga said the Judiciary is pleased that the many concerns stakeholders had raised over the delayed conclusion of cases have been addressed at the time the 2014 criminal session is being opened.

Judge Mchenga says the Judiciary has embarked on various reforms and has introduced a number of measures aimed at accelerating the disposal of criminal cases.He says some of the measures the Judiciary has put in place include the adoption of a system that allows the criminal session’s case-list to include trials, criminal appeals and cases committed to the High Court by the Subordinate Courts for sentencing or confirmation of sentences.

He says this measure has resulted in an increase in the number of cases being attended to in the Court%u2019s sessions.

Judge Mchenga adds that other measures the Judiciary has put in place to address the congestion in the prisons and delayed disposal of cases is the gazzetting of extra sessions.

He says the gazzetting of extra sessions which started last year and executed in the months of October and November in which both months had two criminal sessions each will this year be done in the months of February and March.

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