HOW CAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORK CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH SHONA JUSTICE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE REMEDIES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS? ABUSE CHILD SEXUAL EFFECTIVE REMEDIES TO PROVIDE TO WITH SHONA JUSTICE CAN CONSTRUCTIVELY HOW WORK CRIMINAL JUSTICE HOW CAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORK CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH SHONA JUSTICE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE REMEDIES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS? CALEB MUTANDWA RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME DANISH INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (DIHR) HOW CAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORK CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH SHONA JUSTICE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE REMEDIES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS? WORKING PAPER BY CALEB MUTANDWA RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME DANISH INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (DIHR), DENMARK JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN TRUST, ZIMBABWE DECEMBER 2012 ISBN 978-87-91836-73-2 EAN 9788791836732 Layout: Hedda Bank Print: Handy- Print © 2012 The Danish Institute for Human Rights Denmark’s National Human Rights Institution Strandgade 56 DK - 1401 Copenhagen K Phone +45 3269 8888 www.humanrights.dk This publication, or parts of it, may be reproduced if author and source are quoted. At DIHR we aim to make our publications as accessible as possible. We use large font size, short (hyphen-free) lines, left-aligned text and strong contrast for maximum legibility. We are seeking to increase the number of accessible pdfs on our website, as well as to provide easy-to-read summaries for selected publications. THE Research Partnership Programme The Research Partnership Programme of compliance with human rights standards (RPP), funded by the Danish International concerning participation and accountability, Development Assistance (Danida) and fairness of procedures (including the protection organised by The Danish Institute for Human of the vulnerable) and substantive outcomes. Rights (DIHR) offers a small number of researchers from developing and transitional During his stay at DIHR, Caleb Mutandwa’s countries the unique opportunity of becoming research work was supervised by Senior Adviser a guest researcher at the DIHR for a period of Anette Faye Jacobsen. five months. The RPP is one component of the DIHR strategy to upgrade and expand the resource bases in developing and transitional countries within the field of human rights. The aim of the programme is to build human rights research capacity in these countries, and in general to contribute to stronger academic environments and increased exchange between institutions in the human rights field internationally. For 2011-2013 the programme operates under the thematic focus of “Informal Justice Systems” (IJS), including the opportunities for access to justice where state systems lack outreach and forums in which a diversity of cultures and values can be respected as well as challenges and weaknesses in respect 3 4 CONTENT 1 INTRODUCTION 7 2 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS AND METHODOLOGY 9 2.1 DEFINITIONAL ISSUES 9 2.2 Methodological Framework 11 3 pROBLEM OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN ZIMBABWE 14 4 LEGAL FRAMEWORK 17 4.1 INSPIRING Provisions IN THE International LEGAL Framework 17 4.2 FORMAL Justice IN ZIMBABWE: Tracing THE Victim 18 4.2.1 BAIL 21 4.2.2 SENTENCING AND Compensation 22 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSES 29 6 CONCLUDING REMARKS 35 7 ANNex: QUESTIONS GUIDE 38 5 ABBREVIATIONS CPC Child Protection Committee CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child CPE Criminal Procedure and Evidence J Judge JP Judge President 6 CHAPTER 1 Introduction Mufaro, a 14 year old girl, lives with her parents Mufaro was 4½ months pregnant. Hazvinei and siblings in Moyo Village, Muzarabani was arrested and charged with rape. The case District. She was in Grade 7 in 2011. In June was taken to Bindura Magistrates Court where 2011, Mufaro and her young sister, Chipo, Mufaro and her mother were called to give were herding cattle when Hazvinei, who lives evidence to the State in January 2012. In court, with his parents in the same village, followed Hazvinei pleaded guilty to rape, hence Mufaro them. Hazvinei who was 16 years at the time, and her mother never got to give the evidence had ended his education in Form 1 in 2011. or got the opportunity to say what they wished The two sisters talked to Hazvinei, who they to see happen in the case. He was convicted knew, as they herded their cattle. He then of rape and sentenced to five strokes with an demanded sexual intercourse with Mufaro, additional two years imprisonment term. The and she refused. He overpowered her and term was ultimately suspended. The sentence raped her while Chipo was watching and crying. was influenced by his age. Mufaro and her After the act, he threatened the girls that if family were not happy with the sentence, they disclosed the rape, they would be beaten which they regarded as too lenient. Apart from at their home. The two sisters continued to the bus fares used to attend court, they were herd their cattle until sun set when they went not given any other support. This increased home. They did not disclose the rape to anyone their pain. Mufaro had not been to a clinic or a because they were afraid. After some time, their hospital after the initial examination, which was mother observed that Mufaro had changed initiated by the police. They had not prepared physically and questioned her. Mufaro revealed anything for the baby to be born as a result of that Hazvinei had raped her and that she was the rape. They had even sold their cow to cover pregnant. The case was reported at Muzarabani the cost involved in raising the case, only for Police Station where Mufaro was referred to St Hazvinei to get five strokes. Mufaro and her Alberts Hospital. There, it was confirmed that family felt that there was no justice for them. 7 INTRODUCTION Was there justice? Whose justice? These are This paper is organised into six sections. questions at the core of this paper. Evidence This introductory section is followed by a is accumulating of the atrocious acts of child section which discusses the concepts and the sexual abuse committed by family members, methodology used in developing the paper. relatives, neighbours and others known to The third section discusses the problem of the child victim.1 However, academic research child sexual abuse in Zimbabwe. It highlights in Zimbabwe, especially on the remedies the dominant trends according to which most available to victims of such abuse, is limited. children are sexually abused by people they Mufaro, her family, and many others have know, and documents the underreporting of, started questioning the ability of the criminal or withdrawal of, such cases from the criminal justice system to provide the child victims justice system, as people settle them using with effective remedies, and anecdotal informal justice institutions, such as the family evidence points to cases of child sexual abuse and village heads. This is followed by a section, remaining unreported and to cases that are which analyses the formal justice system, withdrawn from the system, as people resort focusing on criminal laws and on how courts to informal institutions founded on the Shona have handled child sexual abuse cases. The justice system. The resort to informal justice analysis shows that despite the current focus of institutions has not, however, found favour the courts on due process rights of the accused with human rights proponents on account and the retributive punishment of offenders, of violations of the rights of the child.2 Child the law can still be used to accommodate the sexual abuse itself is recognized as a violation needs of the victims. The fifth section discusses of the child´s rights to health and protection, the responses of the community outside the hence the need for effective remedies. The formal justice system. It reveals the people´s paper considers ways in which the formal and sense of justice, which is centred on the Shona informal justice systems can work together to philosophy of unhu. In the last section, we provide effective remedies for child victims remark on how the criminal justice system can in rape cases. It argues for recognition of the work with the Shona justice system to provide positive values in the Shona justice system, justice for victims of child sexual abuse. such as the restorative aspect and wide participation, so that they can be integrated into the criminal justice system. The legal analysis in this paper shows that the national laws can be used to achieve this, but the courts have not readily done that, leaving victims disillusioned with the criminal justice system. 8 CHAPTER 2 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS AND METHODOLOGY 2.1 DEFINITIONAL ISSUES of their duties; leading his village in all In the context of this paper, the criminal justice traditional, customary and cultural matters; system refers to the system recognised by settling disputes involving customary law and formal law for handling cases of child sexual traditions; promoting sound morals and good abuse. This system is also referred to herein as social conduct among members of his village; the formal justice system. The paper however and assisting, by all means within his power, in shows that this system does not have the apprehending and securing offenders against monopoly over child sexual abuse cases. In the law as well as ensuring the observance of most Shona communities, people use informal the law by all inhabitants, and the immediate institutions such as the family and – in the reporting of any contravention of the law to case of rural areas – their village head, to the police.7 The Act clearly lays the foundation resolve their disputes. This is demonstrated for the involvement of village heads in by Mativire.3 The family and village heads do resolving disputes governed by customary not form part of the criminal justice system law as well as participating in the criminal and are therefore regarded as informal justice justice system where crimes are committed.