State witnesses and their experiences at the criminal courts of Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of state witnesses at the criminal courts of Harare, Zimbabwe. The study is premised on a qualitative research methodology which traces the subjective experiences of state witnesses. A number of methods are used and these include the case study, observation (court watching) and the interviews. Case study data shows that many witnesses who come to courts end up getting treatment which almost equates them to accused persons. On the other hand, data from key-informant interviews shows that the state has a divergent perspective from the witnesses, the weaknesses of the court system are ascribed to the wider macro-economic conditions. The study findings also demonstrate that the study was influenced by the choice of methodology, while semi-formal interviews were used for key-informants, informal discussions were carried out to gather data from witnesses. The data collected from case studies demonstrated a high level of personal experiences and dwelt more on the subjective lived experiences of the witnesses compared to the more rigid and formal approach which may be attributed to the interview method which followed an interview guide. Ethics were observed on this study paying attention to not harming the research participants by protecting their identities in the form of the substitution of their actual names for pseudonyms. Major points of discussion were premised on the theoretical framework of critical legal anthropology; a paradigm which borrows from neo-Marxist perspectives and the post-modern school. Therefore, an application of concepts as power, language and social interpretivism is present in this which adopted a critical analysis of the phenomena of experiences. The study concludes by arguing that data gathered from the case studies and from the key-informants, witnesses do face challenges while at the courts. The study discusses the various challenges in the final chapter and suggests possible ways of dealing with these challenges to help in the witnesses experiences of the court system. The study also highlights possible areas of further research in future. 7 Dedications This