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Mnangagwa appoints Dr Zimbwa Coroner-General
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Dr Innocent Zimbwa as the Acting Coroner-General of Zimbabwe, with effect from April 22, 2025, in a move aimed at strengthening the country's capacity to investigate unnatural and suspicious deaths.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed the appointment in General Notice 661 of 2025, published in last week's Government Gazette.
"It is hereby notified that His Excellency, the President has, in terms of Section 5(1) of the Coroner's Office Act, as read with Section 28(b)(i) of the Interpretation Act, appointed Dr Innocent Zimbwa as the Acting Coroner-General with effect from April 22, 2025," said Minister Ziyambi.
Dr Zimbwa will now head the Coroner's Office, whose mandate, as outlined in the Act, is to conduct independent and impartial investigations into deaths that occur in unnatural, violent, sudden, or suspicious circumstances. The office was established to enhance accountability and transparency in determining causes of death outside the traditional criminal justice process.
Under the Coroner's Office Act, which became operational in September 2024, all officers-in-charge of prisons, police stations, and medical institutions are required to maintain records of any sudden or unexplained deaths for investigation by the coroner. Failure to do so, or any attempt to tamper with such records, can result in imprisonment for up to five years.
The law also mandates that medical practitioners must carry out post-mortems when instructed by the coroner, with refusal to comply constituting an offence punishable by up to six months in jail. Additionally, custodial institutions are required to retain medical and relevant documentation of deceased persons for at least five years.
The Coroner's Office Act repealed the outdated Inquests Act and made significant amendments to the Burial and Cremation Act and the Births and Deaths Registration Act. Although the legislation was passed by Parliament in 2019 and gazetted in 2020, it only came into full effect last year.
Dr Zimbwa's appointment is expected to accelerate the full operationalisation of the Coroner's Office, enhancing oversight in cases involving suspicious deaths and ensuring justice and closure for affected families.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed the appointment in General Notice 661 of 2025, published in last week's Government Gazette.
"It is hereby notified that His Excellency, the President has, in terms of Section 5(1) of the Coroner's Office Act, as read with Section 28(b)(i) of the Interpretation Act, appointed Dr Innocent Zimbwa as the Acting Coroner-General with effect from April 22, 2025," said Minister Ziyambi.
Dr Zimbwa will now head the Coroner's Office, whose mandate, as outlined in the Act, is to conduct independent and impartial investigations into deaths that occur in unnatural, violent, sudden, or suspicious circumstances. The office was established to enhance accountability and transparency in determining causes of death outside the traditional criminal justice process.
The law also mandates that medical practitioners must carry out post-mortems when instructed by the coroner, with refusal to comply constituting an offence punishable by up to six months in jail. Additionally, custodial institutions are required to retain medical and relevant documentation of deceased persons for at least five years.
The Coroner's Office Act repealed the outdated Inquests Act and made significant amendments to the Burial and Cremation Act and the Births and Deaths Registration Act. Although the legislation was passed by Parliament in 2019 and gazetted in 2020, it only came into full effect last year.
Dr Zimbwa's appointment is expected to accelerate the full operationalisation of the Coroner's Office, enhancing oversight in cases involving suspicious deaths and ensuring justice and closure for affected families.
Source - the herald
