Constitution of Zimbabwe (as amended by Constitution Amendment No. 19) (e) that authorises any local authority or any body corporate established directly by or under an Act of Parliament for a public purpose to enter on the premises of any person in order to inspect those premises or anything thereon for the purpose of any tax or rate or in order to carry out work connected with any property of that authority or body which is lawfully on those premises; or (f) that authorises, for the purpose of enforcing the judgment or order of a court in any civil proceedings, the search of any person or property by order of a court or the entry upon any premises by such order; except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society. (3) A law referred to in subsection (2) which makes provision for the search of the person of a woman shall require that such search shall, unless made by a medical practitioner, only be made by a woman and shall be conducted with strict regard to decency. 18 Provisions to secure protection of law (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every person is entitled to the protection of the law. [Subsection as amended by section 3 of Act 4 of 1993 – Amendment No. 12] (1a) Every public officer has a duty towards every person in Zimbabwe to exercise his or her functions as a public officer in accordance with the law and to observe and uphold the rule of law. [Subsection inserted by section 4 of Act 1 of 2009 – Amendment No. 19] (2) If any person is charged with a criminal offence, then, unless the charge is withdrawn, the case shall be afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law. (3) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence— (a) shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty; (b) shall be informed as soon as reasonably practicable, in a language that he understands and in detail, of the nature of the offence charged; (c) shall be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence; (d) shall be permitted to defend himself in person or, save in proceedings before a local court, at his own expense by a legal representative of his own choice; (e) shall be afforded facilities to examine in person or, save in proceedings before a local court, by his legal representative the witnesses called by the prosecution before the court and to obtain the attendance and carry out the examination of witnesses to testify on his behalf before the court on the same conditions as those applying to witnesses called by the prosecution; and - 25 -