MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU-Gweru residents have expressed mixed views on whether the country should abolish the death penalty.
The sentiments came out during the public consultation meeting held by the Ministry of Justice, legal and Parliamentary Affairs in partnership with the Centre for Applied Legal Research (CALR) and Switzerland Embassy in Gweru today.
Some people seem to be enthused on the prospects of scrapping death sentence in Zimbabwe, while others suggested that the death penalty should be retained to deter murderers.
While the country’s constitution upholds capital punishment, however since 2002 no convict on death sentence has been executed.
The current law on death penalty targets offenders from the ages of 21 to 70, but does not apply to women irrespective of the offence.
Currently, 62 prisoners are on death row but there is no hangman to carry out the task.
Legal Resources Foundation senior lawyer, Sheila Mhlanga Fashu said the capital punishment is a remnant of the colonial regime laws that needs to be abolished.
“Death penalty is inhuman and should be abolished because it is motivated by retribution, that is an eye for an eye and this does not have a place in modern civilization.
“The law is draconian that has roots from colonial era and western ideologies which has no place in Zimbabwe. Its torture to live thinking that you can die any day,” She said.
Fashu added that the legal framework should focus on rehabilitation as well as finding solutions that can transform criminals into better human beings.
She said the law is discriminatory for only subjecting men to the gallows whilst sparing women who would have committed similar crimes, hence the need to amend section 48 of the constitution.
However, Bridget Munyikwa said the country should maintain the death sentence to deter offenders from committing murder crimes.
“I don’t agree with the notion that the death sentence should be abolished. I think the law can serve as a lesson to the public that they should not kill. If we scrap the law, criminals will not hesitate to kill. Murderers should also face the same consequences of death sentence,” she said.
Gweru renowned Pastor, David Chikore said there is need to pay more attention on issues that are leading to spike of murder cases.
The public hearings started on the 27th of March and are expected to end on the 7th of April.
