High Court Raps Magistrate Over Trial

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The High Court criticized a Bulawayo magistrate for serious procedural errors in a criminal insult case involving a mentally ill accused, despite agreeing with the final acquittal. Justice Munamato Mutevedzi said the magistrate misunderstood mental disorder defenses, wrongly mixing a finding of insanity with sentencing procedures. He withheld certification of the proceedings, warning lower courts to apply mental health laws correctly when handling accused persons with serious psychiatric conditions.