A provincial magistrate based in Bulawayo has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of criminal abuse of duty, in a case that has raised serious concerns about judicial integrity.
Evia Matura, 47, was convicted following an unlawful court ruling that resulted in the release of a remand prisoner. The case, heard at Tredgold Magistrates’ Court, stemmed from events that took place between late June and early July 2025.
According to court proceedings, Matura initially presided over a bail application for Obert Manduna on June 23, 2025, and denied bail two days later. Manduna was subsequently remanded in custody at Khami Remand Prison.
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However, during a routine remand appearance on July 2, 2025, both the State and the defence agreed to postpone the matter to July 9 for trial allocation. Crucially, no fresh application for bail had been made, nor had any directive been issued by the High Court authorizing the prisoner’s release.
Despite this, Matura ordered Manduna’s release from custody, a decision prosecutors argued was both deliberate and inconsistent with her judicial responsibilities. The court agreed, ruling that her actions granted an undue benefit to the accused and undermined the integrity of the judicial process.
In delivering judgment, the court emphasized the seriousness of the misconduct, stating that “the unlawful release of a remand prisoner without proper legal basis represents a clear abuse of judicial authority and erodes public confidence in the justice system.”
Matura was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, with six months suspended for five years, leaving her to serve an effective 18-month custodial sentence.
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