Magistrates Court (Resident Court) (Chinamhora) Notice, 2024
Chinamhora has been designated a Resident Magistrates Court for Harare North, so cases from that area can be heard locally instead of only in Harare.
The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, acting under section 4(3) of the Magistrates Court Act [Chapter 7:10], has designated Chinamhora as a Resident Court for the Harare North magisterial province.
The notice is two sentences long and does nothing else: it sets no new fees, creates no offence and changes no procedure. Its practical effect is that a resident magistrate can sit at Chinamhora and hear matters arising in Harare North, shortening the trip for litigants, accused persons and witnesses from the Chinamhora and Domboshava area who would otherwise travel to Harare.
No commencement date is stated in the notice. It was published in a supplement to the Government Gazette of 4 October 2024. One printing slip is visible: the running header on the page reads 'S.I. 153 of 2024' while the instrument itself is Statutory Instrument 163 of 2024.
What changed
- Chinamhora designated a Resident Court for Harare North under section 4(3) of the Magistrates Court Act
Who this affects
- Residents of Chinamhora and the Harare North magisterial area
- Magistrates and court staff posted to Harare North
- Police prosecutors and legal practitioners serving that area
- Litigants and witnesses currently travelling to Harare for hearings
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.