THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has urged members of the public and other stakeholders to register on the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS), saying the platform will enable them to access court services remotely.
Speaking at the launch of Phase Four of the system at Tredgold Magistrates’ Court in Bulawayo on Thursday, JSC Secretary Dr Walter Chikwana said everyone could potentially require court services, making registration on the portal important.
“Everyone is encouraged to register on the portal because everyone is a possible litigant. You may not necessarily be an accused person, but you can be a victim in different ways,” he said.
Dr Chikwana said members of the public could require court services in cases involving assault, gender-based violence, maintenance disputes and defamation, among other matters.
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“You could be a victim of assault, gender-based violence, seek maintenance, sue someone for defamation, be a witness to a case. You may even seek the court services when you want to get married, when you want to attain peace or protection orders. These are all reasons that may require you to come to court,” he said.
The IECMS is a digital platform that enables electronic filing, case tracking and management, automated case allocation and virtual hearings, among other services.
Dr Chikwana said the system would allow users to interact with the courts remotely, although accused persons would still be required to appear physically before the courts when facing criminal proceedings.
“What it cannot do for you, however, is to allow you to appear remotely as an accused person. If you break the law and are arrested, the police will have to bring you to court and you stand trial accordingly. There is no way that one can serve a jail term remotely,” he said.
However, he said incarcerated people would be able to access court services through the platform from their places of detention.
Dr Chikwana said users would need a smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer, as well as electricity and internet connectivity, to access the portal.
He acknowledged that access to these resources could be a challenge for some people but said the JSC had put measures in place to assist those unable to use the platform independently.
“If these are not easily accessible to you, you can come to the court and you will be assisted accordingly,” he said.
Dr Chikwana said the commission had established e-filing rooms at courts, while internet hubs had been set up at the High Court to help people who need assistance using the system.
He said the JSC hoped to extend the facilities to police stations to improve access to court services, particularly during emergencies.
“With time, it is our hope that we will have e-filing rooms established at every police station, so that in the case of an emergency, and you do not have access to neither smart gadgets, internet nor electricity, you can still get the assistance that you require,” he said.
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