Luke Malaba
Luke Malaba | |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice of Zimbabwe | |
| Assumed office 27 March 2017 Acting: March 1–27, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Godfrey Chidyausiku |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1951 Plumtree, Southern Rhodesia |
| Alma mater | University of Warwick University of Zimbabwe St Ignatius College |
Luke Malaba (born 15 May 1951[1]) is a Zimbabwean judge and Zanu PF member currently serving as the Chief Justice of Zimbabwe. He was appointed Chief Justice by then-President Robert Mugabe on 27 March 2017. However, he had already been serving as acting Chief Justice since 1 March 2017, following Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku‘s retirement. Previously, he had served as Deputy Chief Justice.[2]
Biography
Luke Malaba was born in Plumtree, Southern Rhodesia on 15 May 1951.[3] He received his law degree from the University of Warwick in 1974, and another law degree from the University of Zimbabwe in 1982. From 1981 to 1984, he served as a prosecutor in Bulawayo. He started his career as a magistrate in 1984 at Masvingo. He attained the rank of regional magistrate in 1990. He was appointed as a judge of the High Court in 1994, serving until 2001. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in August 2001, and became the country’s first Deputy Chief Justice in 2008.[2]
Chief Justice of Zimbabwe
Following the retirement of Godfrey Chidyausiku, Malaba was appointed Acting Chief Justice on 1 March 2017. During interviews to become the Chief Justice, he scored 92 percent, achieving the highest score of those interviewed. He assumed the office on 27 March 2017.[2] In July 2018, Malaba ruled that former President Robert Mugabe had freely resigned, and was not coerced.[4] The Chief Justice, in a unanimous supreme court decision in August 2018, concurred with the other eight justices of the court, in a ruling that president Emmerson Mnangagwa's July 2018 election was lawfully conducted, and had "complied with prescribed procedures", dismissing the political opposition's claims to the contrary.[5]
References
- ^ https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-107802.html
- ^ a b c Hebert Zharare, and Phyllis Kachere (29 March 2017). "Malaba Appointed Chief Justice". The Herald (Zimbabwe). Harare. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ http://www.zbc.co.zw/justice-malaba-officially-sworn-in-as-cj/
- ^ Chibaba che Bikita (17 July 2018). "Mugabe freely resigned, rules Chief Justice Luke Malaba". Bulawayo: Bulawayo24.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ BBC News (24 August 2018). "Zimbabwe court upholds President Mnangagwa's election win". London: British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 August 2018.