Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe - 2017 July

2 judgments
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2 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
July 2017
Pre‑trial torture does not automatically bar prosecution; a permanent stay is exceptional and factual disputes must be resolved before referral.
Constitutional law — Prohibition of torture — Pre‑trial ill‑treatment — Effect on validity of prosecution — Use of fruits of torture — Permanent stay of prosecution as an exceptional remedy — Remedies: damages or prosecution of perpetrators — Need to resolve material factual disputes before constitutional referral.
19 July 2017
Referral under s24(2) was defective because the magistrate failed to form the required opinion; matter struck off the roll.
Constitutional procedure — Section 24(2) former Constitution — duty of magistrate to form and state opinion whether constitutional question raised is merely frivolous or vexatious — referral defective if no proper analysis or formulation — criminal nuisance charge (para 2(f) v 2(v)) — striking off roll; need for magistrate/prosecutor remedial action.
12 July 2017