Inmates in prisons around Bulawayo, Tuesday, missed their court sessions due to fuel shortages which grounded the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) vehicles.
ZPCS public relations officer for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Principal Correctional Officer Garainashe Moyo, told CITE in an interview that the fueling stations which supply them with fuel were had gone dry.
“We use the coupon system to fuel our vehicles,” said Moyo.
“Unfortunately, this situation is beyond our control there is nothing we can do about it. We cannot tell for sure when we will get our next supply of fuel”.
Court officials at Western Commonage and Tredgold magistrates’ courts who asked not be named, said this is a setback for the courts as it forces some matters to be pushed further.
“We have not attended to any matters of accused persons who are in custody after learning that ZPCS cannot avail prisoners due to fuel shortages,” said the source.
This is not the first time ZPCS has failed to avail inmates to attend their court sessions due to fuel shortages.
In January this year, inmates in Marondera failed to attend their court sessions for three days due to the country’s fuel crisis.
Local authorities have also been affected by the fuel shortages as they have failed to offer critical services to residents.
Energy minister Jorum Gumbo is on record saying there is enough fuel supply in the country.
