MUTARE – Poor remuneration and working conditions for public prosecutors in the country have left them compromised, the Prosecutor General Kumbirai Hodzi has said.
In his speech as the guest of honour at the official opening of the anti -corruption court in Mutare last Friday, Hodzi said prosecutors must be well remunerated in order to be focused on their tasks of fair and professional justice delivery system.
“They (prosecutors) the custodians of the justice delivery system that we depend upon to stamp out corruption,” Hodzi said.
“Prosecutors cannot continue to come to work using public transport or lifts from accused persons. This is a crying shame and opens up the Prosecutor to all kinds of interference, ridicule and loss if esteem and dignity befitting their esteemed office,” he noted.
Hodzi said he was currently having dialogue with the Ministry of Justice, Treasury and the Civil Service Commission to align the conditions of service and the remuneration of the prosecutors.
“Non-prosecutorial members of staff and other players in the justice delivery sector must have their remuneration reviewed,” Hodzi said.
He said they must have proper tools of trade.
“Staff within the justice delivery system must have computers, the internet, well- furnished offices, as well as a clean and safe environment to work from,” said the Prosecutor General.
He said vehicle and housing loans for prosecutors were top of the agenda.
He said government should deliver quickly on these reforms to restore public confidence in the justice delivery sector.