The Judiciary has taken a major step forward in its digital transformation journey with the launch of the Court Recording System at the High Court Criminal Division in Lilongwe.
The system, procured with support from the European Union (EU) under the Chilungamo II “Access to Justice” Programme, is designed to accurately capture and transcribe court proceedings in real time. This innovation is expected to improve case management, expedite the delivery of judgments, and enhance public trust in the justice system.
Speaking at the launch, the Honourable the Chief Justice Rizine Robert Mzikamanda, SC, hailed the development as “another giant step in the administration of justice” and reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to embracing technology.
“The system we are launching today is part of our commitment to accelerate justice delivery, improving accuracy and enhancing accessibility to court records as part of improved case management. The area of case management and how it affects performance and development is very important to our justice sector and the country,” the Chief Justice said.
He also thanked the EU for its financial and technical support, pledging that the Judiciary will ensure the facility operates optimally for the benefit of Malawians.
EU Chargé d'affaires, Else Boonstra, commended the Judiciary for taking the lead in digitalising the justice sector. She noted that the system directly addresses long-standing challenges such as delayed judgments, as identified in the Malawi Human Rights Commission’s recent report on access to justice.
“When we were launching the Chilungamo II Programme in 2024, we encouraged the justice institutions to look for digital solutions to tackle their challenges. The world is moving away from paper-based systems, and so should Malawi,” she said.
The Court Recording System will initially operate at the Lilongwe High Court Criminal Registry, but both the Judiciary and the EU expressed hope for future expansion to other courts across the country.
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