GENDER Based Violence cases accounted for 25 percent of murder cases that went through the Gweru High Court circuit in 2023, a member of the judiciary has said.
The figures, High Court Judge Justice Evangelista Kabasa said, reflect the ugly face of gender-based violence in the Midlands Province and the country as a whole. Speaking during the opening of the 2024 legal year at the Gweru Magistrates Court, Justice Kabasa said of the 55 murder cases dealt with by the Gweru Circuit last year, 14 were as a result of GBV.
The court will also deal with four GBV-related murder cases during the current circuit, which is expected to run for the next two weeks. Justice Kabasa said GBV remains one of the most prevalent forms of human rights violations globally that needs concerted efforts to stop it.
“Of the 55 cases dealt with in 2023, 14 deaths were as a result of gender-based violence. The current circuit court has a total 18 cases and four of these are as a result of gender-based violence. This is a worrying trend as it shows a 25 and 22 percent occurrence rate,” she said.
She added that the right to life is a fundamental human right, which is enshrined in Section 48 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and society should therefore respect the sanctity of life. “Women have been killed by those who vowed to love and cherish them.”
She said although men were also victims of GBV, the perpetrators are predominantly men, while women are victims. The High Court Judge said government’s commitment to eradicate GBV has to be complemented by society taking into cognisance that violence does not solve issues. Justice Kabasa was also concerned with the upsurge in armed robberies and peddling of illicit drugs.
“We read of daring and brazen acts of violence perpetrated against innocent people in the course of robberies. In some cases, victims have been killed during these bastardly acts, and credit must be given to law enforcement officers who managed to account for some perpetrators of these heinous offences.” She said the country has seen a sad development where youths are abusing drugs and alcohol.
“Whilst parents and guardians are exhorted to play their part in protecting our children from this scourge, the purveyors of these drugs ought to introspect and think of the harm drugs are inflicting on the youths who are the present and the future of this country.
Drugs are mind-bending resulting in our youths exhibiting psychotic behaviour which has seen our mental health institutions over-stretched and failing to cope with the numbers of those requiring psychiatric help,” she said. — New Ziana