The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) has noted with concern Zimbabwe’s lack of genuine interest, commitment and political-will to expeditiously prosecute corruption. Cases of corruption involving high profile individuals, especially Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) take long to be prosecuted under the new political dispensation.
In 2020 Melania Mandeya and Jokonia Nyoni were arrested in Gokwe but the case appear to have been forgotten. Similarly, Hon. Goden Chanda and a local authority were also arrested on or about 2019/20 after they allegedly diverted food aid but their cases appear to have been forgotten. The Gokwe Magistrates Court has also neglected trying Councillor Chigaba who was accused of printing fake receipt books and collecting money from the people in Gokwe. More than 3 years have long since passed without Chigaba being tried regardless of the presence of a critical mass of witnesses.
The above examples speak volumes about the lack of preparedness or genuine interest by the Gokwe Magistrates Court, officials under the National Prosecuting Authority in Gokwe as well as the Zimbabwe Republic Police. These institutions appear to be letting down the administration of President Mnangagwa’s efforts to fight corruption.
The Gokwe case study is a microcosm of the status quo country-wide at all levels in the country.
The above clearly shows the inertia of prosecution of the cases where evidence is available but hoping that people will forget and no trial will ever take place. In such instances evidence is likely to be tampered with or get lost . The same will happen to the witnesses who might relocate or die thereby resulting in the miscarriage of the trials leading to the acquittal of the accused persons over time.
To this end, efforts should be made to investigate why the prosecution of Corruption in Gokwe is problematical.
Source: Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa
