Former judge withdraws application after spate of abuses

A UK based former Zimbabwe High Court judge, David Bartlett (67), has withdrawn his application to join the bench sparking speculation he does not want to be associated with the spate of alleged human rights abuses committed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s under-fire administration.

Bartlett, who quit the bench in 2002 during the time the late former President Robert Mugabe was in charge, had applied to be considered for appointment to the Constitutional Court in Zimbabwe.

However Nehanda Radio understands that Bartlett has withdrawn his application after he considered the spate of recent abuses committed by the Mnangagwa regime.

In the UK, Bartlett was appointed an Immigration Adjudicator in 2002 (now known as Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). He retired in November 2015.

Nehanda Radio sources confirmed in July this year that Bartlett’s name had been shortlisted by the Judicial Services Commission and under the existing rules he would face public interviews along with other candidates. Mnangagwa would then pick from the interview results.-Nehanda Radio