A CHILD friendly court, the first of its kind in Zambia, is to be established at Nakonde’s new magistrate’s complex in Northern Province.
Child Justice Forum National Chairperson for mobilisation Kenneth Mulife disclosed this in Nakonde yesterday, when his team from Lusaka comprising officers from the Judiciary, Child Justice and Child Protection departments paid a courtesy call on Nakonde District Commissioner Billy Silwimba at his office yesterday.
Mr. Mulife said the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will finance the project meant to enable a juvenile witness give testimony in a friendly way.
Mr. Mulife said, the Child Friendly Court will be fitted with a Cross Circuit Television (CCTV) system, plasma screens and the other necessary equipment to facilitate the giving of evidence by a child in a most friendly manner.
The Child Justice National Chairperson for Mobilisation said, the idea of a Child Friendly Court was copied from Malawi where he said it was working effectively, adding that the Child Friendly Court enables a child witness to give credible testimony without fear.
And Mr. Silwimba said the people of Nakonde were very happy with the honour they have been given to be the first in Zambia to have a Child Friendly Court fitted with modern equipment to facilitate the giving of evidence in a friendly manner.
Mr. Silwimba assured the team from Lusaka that the facilitate would be taken care of, adding that stringent measures would be put in place to protect the facility.
The District Commissioner also paid growing tribute to UNICEF for its continued support in children programmes in the country.
The Lusaka team together with members of the Nakonde Child Justice Forum later inspected the Juvenile court room at the new magistrates’ complex and agreed on how the equipment should be mounted.
And Child Protection Specialist Ngosa Lesa said, she was happy to note that there were no juvenile remandees at Nakonde police station at the time of the visit.
Ms. Lesa said the situation simply showed that the police were now protecting the juveniles by ensuring that they were not mixed with adult remandees.
ZANIS
nkwiza koko ne mwana wakwi lanzi
ONLY HH CAN HELP MY COUNTRY LOOK AT THOSE YOUNG GIRLS ED BOYZ ANYWAY THE OF THEIR SUFFERING IS NEAR.ONLY HH CAN.
Gud development pa Zed. Keep it up. Go! go! with the protection of child rights so that the generation to come won,t b criminals becos the way children are handled wen they come in conflict with the law can either turn them into hardcore criminals or into responsible citizens wen they grow up.
Why not build a library with computers or a good school for the children.
Any court can be a safe place for testify in as long as the children are child friendly and do not intimidate or violate the rights of the children. I never heard of a special ‘child friendly’ court.
I meant as long as the adults are mindful of the children.
#1 I like that comment.Wivwa? #4 you are right.A library or school with good books and computers would be of much value to the community.How many times do children get to testify in court?