Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
PROSECUTOR General Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo has urged the public to be patient as law enforcement agencies undertake investigations into high profile corruption related cases, saying some matters take a bit longer because of the sophisticated and complicated nature of inquiries.
Justice Matanda-Moyo made the remarks yesterday when the newly sworn-in Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission commissioners paid her a courtesy call at her offices in Harare.
She gave an example of the late Nigerian President Sani Abacha’s money laundering case, which she said took nearly 15 years to investigate.
“Well, high profile matters have always been dealt with without political interference. As you are aware, high profile matters, they take time to investigate.
“Firstly, because of the complications of the evidence and once they are investigated, then the prosecutors will take them to court.
“If you look at cases like the Sani Abacha one in Nigeria, they took 15 years to be completed.
“So, Zimbabweans needs to be patient. Investigations will still be underway. Let us give our investigators time to investigate,” she said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said once investigations are completed, the matters will then be taken to public courts for prosecution.
She indicated that there is an eternal relationship that exists between her office and that of ZACC, saying the [prosecution department} largely depends on cases that would have been investigated by ZACC.
“ZACC and the NPA, we always work together. As you know, there is no NPA without ZACC. We can only go into court with dockets and such dockets are investigated by ZACC. Therefore, that relationship is eternal”.
Justice Matanda Moyo said the appointment of ZACC commissioners enhances her office’s operations.
“Well, the appointment of the commissioners makes life easier for the NPA. The commissioners, they will then work with our NPA board. And as you know, within the NPA board, we also have board members responsible for investigations, board members responsible for asset recovery.
“Now that they have got their equivalent in terms of commissioners responsible for investigations, commissioners responsible for asset recovery, that means that their work is now cut out clearly,” she said.
Commending on assertions that ZACC might want to lobby for prosecutorial powers, Justice Matanda-Moyo said:
“Well, we will not stop them from lobbying for prosecutorial powers. But currently, the law is very clear. There is separation of powers.
“There is the NPA, which is responsible for prosecuting, and ZACC, responsible for investigations.
“So for now, I think we are okay as it is. We will follow the law and abide by the law”.
ZACC commissioner Kindness Paradza said their focus was on executing their mandate as laid out by President Mnangagwa.
“We are actually going to give more gravitas to ZACC so that we do our job. We were given a clear mandate, clear instructions by His Excellency that we must make sure that we deal decisively with corruption and merchants of corruption. That is what we are going to do.
“So all those who are thinking of doing other things which are outside the law, we are going to deal with them.
“But at the same time we are going to make sure that we work on the preventive measures. So, we are going to engage more on public awareness because you know mass communication is the thing in terms of public awareness,” he said.
Commissioner Paradza indicated that they will also do more on compliance, and ensure that all institutions in the private sector are complying and clamping down on corruption.
