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Zimbabwe's chief justice Luke Malaba on Monday suspended trials and non-urgent hearings for a period not less than two months as the country fights COVID-19 which has so far claimed one life.
A 30-year-old man died Monday after he succumbed to the virus, while another patient is detained in hospital.
Urgent matters, bail applications and initial remands will continue but weddings have also been cancelled with parties advised to approach the courts for re-booking after two months, a statement from the Judicial Service Commission issued by Malaba, said.
Malaba also ordered that no hearings should be done in chambers, and in instances where hearings are held, these should be confined to parties involved in the cases and their legal practitioners.
"Those not involved in the case are discouraged from attending or coming to court," he said.
Malaba said all surfaces at reception areas, registries, court rooms and areas of potential risk should be regularly sanitized and fumigated.
"Members of the Judicial Service Commission at courts, legal practitioners and litigants attending court sessions are required to be sanitized at the entrances when going in and outside the court," he said.
He added that they should maintain a distance of at least two meters from the next person when attending the court or registry offices.
