By Karen Mushenywa in Luanshya
Luanshya Municipal Council has launched its first fast track court to dispose off cases relating to public nuisance and traffic offences as adjudicated by the subordinate court.
Ndola High Court Judge in Charge Emelia Sunkuntu said the official opening of the fast track court was a progressive move as it will help the council in curbing public nuisance and expedite the disposal of cases that would ordinarily take longer at Magistrate courts.
“I wish to mention that the fast track court will enable the Council police to apprehend offenders violating the various provision of the local government laws, thus sending a signal to would be offenders that the council is serious in enforcing the law” she said.
Judge Sunkuntu said that the fast track court will also help decongest the courts as some of the cases triable by the subordinate court will be tried by the fast track court.
She also said that the fast track court will have a biased towards offences under the local government Act No.2 of 2019, Public Health Act, Traffic Offences Act, Food and Drugs Act and other relevant legislation of the laws of zambia specifically designed as offences in Luanshya district.
She said these cases will be prosecuted by Luanshya Municipal Council gazatted public prosecutors in conjunction with prosecutors from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA)
And Luanshya District Commissioner Patrick Maipambe said the setting up of the fast track court will not only step up the fight against public nuisance but also ensure that the delivery of Justice is not delayed.
Mr Maipambe said that they is need to put in place sustained and proactive mechanisms for helping women and other less privileged members of society whom often have fewer resources to protect themselves during the dispensation of Justice in the courts of law.
“Every person living in Zambia deserves to be protected by the law from those who break public nuisance, road traffic, public health laws on our streets and Central Business District as well as schools, workplaces and homes as they go about their daily activities” he said.
Luanshya Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Golden Mulenga said that the importance of the rule of law and access to Justice as prerequisite in the fight against the violation of town laws.
The Luanshya fast track court is the second one of its kind to be established on Copperbelt, with the first one set up in Kitwe.
Its establishment stems from section 25 of the Subordinate Court Act Chapter 28 of the laws of Zambia, which states that the subordinate court can be held at any place as directed by Chief Justice.
Additionally, Section 10 of the above mentioned Subordinate Court Act provides that the sittings of the subordinate court can be held in such a building within Zambia as assigned by the Chief Justice from time to time.
