By Lucy Ng’andu

President Lazarus Chakwera has assented to two Bills recently passed by Parliament.

According to a press statement issued by the presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda, the Bills are Courts Amendment and Procedure Evidence Code Amendment.

The first Courts Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Courts Act in order to, among other things—establish the Financial Crimes Division of the High Court that will have jurisdiction to hear financial crimes.

In addition, the Bill seeks to introduce a new provision that is aimed at increasing the retirement age of Judges from 65 years to 70 years.

Reads the Bill: “The object of this Bill is to amend the Courts Act in order to establish the Financial Crimes Division of the High Court; to increase the retirement age of Judges from sixty-five years to seventy years.

“Make better provision for prescribing jurisdiction of subordinate courts in civil matters; and aligning powers of appointment for magistrates with the Constitution, among other matters, so that it is in line with the provisions of the Constitution.”

The assented Bill will also phase out courts of magistrates of the fourth grade.
And the second Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code Amendment Bill is brought in line with the amendments made to the Courts Act which has since streamlined the structure of subordinate courts by phasing out courts of the magistrates of the fourth grade.

It reads: “The Bill further seeks to amend the Second Schedule to the Code by revoking the offences triable by the now phased out courts of the magistrate of the fourth grade.

“It further seeks to give courts of magistrate of the third grade jurisdiction to hear matters relating to: (a) stealing from a person in a dwelling house, in transit, etc (section 282 of the Penal Code); and (b) stealing by tenants or lodgers (section 289 of the Penal Code).”