Calls for use of cameras, recorders in court mount

—-The Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission has continued to receive petitions from members of the public on the need to introduce cameras and gadgets to film and record court proceedings to enhance transparency and clarity of records in courts.

Members of the public in all the seven townships of Lusaka district where the commission held public sittings also made similar recommendations to the commission, citing reasons of transparency in
the administration of justice.

A prosecutor of Luangwa district told the commission that proceedings of the courts are not recorded as said by witnesses or prosecutors hence the need for a verbatim to be recorded and availed to both
parties.

Chimbizyani Bilima has submitted to the commission that in order to avoid errors in courts, the use of cameras to film and record court proceedings would be ideal for keeping records of the trials and judgments.

Mr Bilima also appealed to the commission to encourage court reporters to be present in magistrates’ courts in rural areas so that some things can be captured and publicised in the media.

He stated that some prosecutors and the accused normally deny having said what the magistrates record during trial because they do not keep verbatim which he said would be of great help if recorded or filmed.

And Law Association of Zambia President, George Chisanga, observed that petitions calling for the introduction of cameras and recording gadgets in courts have been received from almost all the townships the commission has conducted public stings.

Meanwhile, a representative of the House of Chiefs, Michael Pwete, has disclosed that the House of Chief is aware of the animal-human conflicts and the harassment of people by the Zambia Wild Life
Authority (ZAWA) officers in Luangwa district.

Mr Pwete, who is a Commissioner at the Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission, said the House of Chiefs received the reports from Chief Mphuka of Luangwa and took up the matter with the ZAWA boss who promised to address the issue as soon as possible.