ALPHA Media Holdings (AMH) senior court reporter Desmond Chingarande has filed a complaint over the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)’s recently-introduced Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) which precludes journalists from accessing court proceedings and documents.
Chingarande, who is being represented by Innocent Maja of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said the IECMS platform has restricted the media’s access to court proceedings.
In September, the JSC advised its stakeholders that all litigation in superior courts will now be done on the IECMS platform.
Chingarande said previously journalists would just sit in open court and follow proceedings. But now, accredited journalists are not allowed access to the IECMS system and are also not allowed access to virtual hearings.
“Court hearings, documents and proceedings are public unless there are cogent reasons for restricting publicity and public access,” Chingarande said.
He argued that he has journalistic privilege to enquire, gather, receive and disseminate information on court proceedings. Chingarande, however, said his right to perform his journalistic duties were being violated by the JSC’s digital platforms.
The journalist wants JSC to make a provision for accredited journalists to have unfeterred access to IECMS accounts to be able to follow court proceedings and access court documents.
Alternatively, he also wants the JSC to provide accredited journalists with links to the IECMS platform so that they are able to follow court proceedings on the digital system and to request for court documents.
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Chingarande gave the JSC up to Friday to respond to his request and proposals.
