Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike and Collin Mtatabikwa
EIGHTEEN public prosecutors, stationed at various courts countrywide, have been arrested on corruption-related charges, with bribery and extortion topping the list of offences, Prosecutor-General, Justice Loice Matanda Moyo has said.
She disclosed this yesterday at her offices in Harare at the sensitisation and signing of Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) integrity pledges by senior National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officials, including provincial public prosecutors drawn from around the country.
ZACC Commissioner Ms Chido Madiwa led a team from the corruption watchdog at the signing ceremony.
Justice Matanda-Moyo reminded the senior officials and public prosecutors that signing the integrity pledges was a shared national responsibility to fight corruption.
She said the NPA stood as the vanguard of ensuring justice, revealing that 18 prosecutors were facing criminal charges.
The department is entrusted with a sacred, solemn duty of prosecuting corruption cases and guarding against corruption with unwavering fairness, unyielding diligence and absolute impartiality, without fear or favour, regardless of who stands accused.
“This weighty mandate includes watching ourselves and committing ourselves to the highest standards of integrity. Today’s sensitisation and the imminent signing of integrity pledges, conducted in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission leadership, are indispensable steps in reinforcing and fortifying our ethical framework,” she said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said the pledges were not just documents, but served as reminders to demonstrate integrity.
She said it was also a potent reminder of the immutable principles that must guide every action, decision and prosecution.
“Each signature that will be affixed to that pledge this morning, particularly by those of you who lead the provincial offices and critical units at head office, will be a renewed, binding promise to the citizens of Zimbabwe.
“It is a promise that we, as the nation’s chief public prosecutors and public servants of the highest calibre, will act with unwavering honesty, profound transparency and unshakeable accountability.
“Once we, as leaders, demonstrate integrity, it means that those we lead will also demonstrate integrity,” she said.
Prosecutors were encouraged to embrace the opportunity to collectively recommit to fostering and entrenching a profound culture of integrity in the NPAZ.
Comm Madiwa said it was critical to note that integrity stood as the foundation upon which all effective public service rested.
She said ZACC recognised that corruption was neither just a crime against the State nor a violation of law, but a betrayal of public trust and a “poison that undermines the very foundations of economic growth, development, and social progress.”
“Our stance on corruption is uncompromising and absolute.
“We believe that no individual, regardless of position, influence, or connections, should be above the law.
“We are committed to investigating allegations of corruption with thoroughness, fairness and determination and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who abuse public office for private gain face the full consequences of their actions,” said Comm Madiwa.
She encouraged the NPAZ to consider establishing a dedicated integrity committee as a permanent institutional mechanism for promoting, monitoring and supporting ethical behaviour across its hierarchy.
Comm Madiwa added that as ZACC officials affixed their signatures to the pledge document, they were making a noise not only to their colleagues and organisation, but to every citizen whose rights to justice depend on their integrity and professionalism.
“You are committing to be worthy guidance of the rule of law and faithful stewards of the public trust.
“Most importantly, this occasion will remain permanently etched in history as a visible testimony of ZACC and NPA’s enduring collaboration and partnership in the fight against corruption.”
Meanwhile, ZACC recently challenged regulatory and critical national institutions’ officials to emulate the Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe (RPAZ) in signing the integrity pledge.
ZACC manager, compliance, systems and processes unit, Mr Tafirenyika Maringire said integrity is not a static declaration, but a life-long and ongoing vow that demands continuous commitment and unwavering support.
“By publicly signing an integrity pledge you are demonstrating that integrity is not merely an abstract concept, it is a living breathing commitment that must be nurtured, affirmed and relentlessly upheld in every facet of your work.
“I would like to challenge other regulatory and critical national institutions across our nation to emulate the laudable example set by the Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe in signing integrity pledges, if they have not already done so,” he said.
Mr Maringire added that the fight against corruption cannot be won by a single institution alone, but demands a unified alliance of committed institutions, each diligently playing its part in cultivating an impregnable culture of integrity across the nation.
RPAZ board chair Dr Anna Mary Nyakabau said integrity pledged were key in ensuring trust from stakeholders.
“As an organisation, we recognise that integrity is not just a value, it is the foundation upon which trust is built. Trust from our stakeholders, partners, communities and most importantly, from one another.
“It is this trust that enables us to operate effectively, to lead with credibility, and to deliver on our mission with confidence.
“The formation and empowerment of Integrity Committees is a critical step in institutionalising ethical conduct across all levels of our operations. These committees are not just compliance mechanisms, they are champions of a culture where doing the right thing is not optional, but expected,” she said.
An integrity pledge is a commitment or promise to uphold certain values, principles or standards of behaviour and it is part of the Government’s effort to implement the anti-corruption strategy launched by President Mnangagwa on July 11, 2020.
