Happias Zhou
Justice Happias Zhou | |
|---|---|
 Image via Judicial Services Commission | |
| Judge | |
| Appointed by | President Robert Mugabe |
Happias Zhou is a Zimbabwean lawyer and a judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe. He was appointed by President Robert Mugabe in 2012. Justice Zhou was sworn in on the 2nd of May 2012, by President Robert Mugabe himself at State House at a function witnessed by then Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa, then Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, Judicial Service Commission secretary and Supreme Court judge Rita Makarau among other commission officials. [1] Before his appointment as a judge, Zhou was in private practice based at the Advocates’ Chambers in Harare.[1]
Career
Zhou is also a law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe.[2] Zhou was one of the first Zimbabwean trainers taught by Advocacy Training Council (ATC). He was a member of Advocates Chambers in Harare before he was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in 2012.[3]
Notable Rulings
Luke Malaba Tenure
On 15 May 2021, Zhou, Edith Mushore and Jester Charewa ruled that Luke Malaba ceased to be the Chief Justice upon reaching 70 years on 15 May 2021 and that the extension of the term limits does not apply to judges of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court.
Malaba’s tenure had been extended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on 11 May 2021 following the term extension provisions as introduced by the amendment of the Constitution.
In extending Malaba’s tenure, President Mnangagwa had justified his decision on the basis that the judicial officer is physically and mentally capable of remaining in office for the next five years after having considered and accepted his medical report as proof of his mental and physical fitness to continue in office.[4]
See [[1]]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Takunda Maodza (May 3, 2012). "President appoints judges". Herald. Zimpapers. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
- ↑ About The Department, University of Zimbabwe, Published: No Date Given, Retrieved: June 3, 2021
- ↑ Alex Glassbrook, Supporting the legal profession, Counsel Magazine, Published: May 7, 2014, Retrieved: June 3, 2021
- ↑ LANDMARK RULING AS HIGH COURT ENDS MALABA’S TENURE AS CHIEF JUSTICE, Kubatana, Published: May 16, 2021, Retrieved: May 17, 2021
