Legal representation under Legal Aid Act (Zimbabwe)

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Section 10 of the Legal Aid Act provides for the provision of legal aid in certain criminal cases. Where a judge or magistrate or to the Attorney-General believes that it is in the interests of justice that an accused person be provided with legal aid and that person may have insufficient financial means to engage his own lawyer, can recommend to the Director of the Legal Aid Directorate that the person should be provided with legal aid. He will decide whether to provide legal aid to such person after assessing that person's financial means.

The practice is that in all murder cases and in other very serious cases in the High Court so-called pro deo lawyers will be assigned. As pointed out earlier in reference to duties of lawyers, lawyers assigned to represent such clients have a duty to represent such clients diligently and professionally despite the fact that paltry fees are paid for such work. (For further discussion on this duty, see Section 1 Role and Responsibility of Defence Lawyers - Duty to Client)


See Zimbabwe Criminal Defense Manual