Former police boss Augustine Chihuri must not be allowed to
use his feud with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to evade justice,
prosecutor-general (PG) Kumbirai Hodzi has argued.
Hodzi was responding to an appeal by Chihuri against an
unexplained wealth order issued by the same court as part of a process to seize
the ex-top cop's business empire, which the government says was built through
proceeds of corruption.
In his appeal, the exiled former cop said moves to forfeit
his wealth were motivated by Mnangagwa's determination to fix him over personal
differences that started during the liberation war.
Chihuri claimed the president snatched his then-pregnant
wife and tried to force her to abort the child.
"The relationship between the head of state and the
first applicant has nothing to do with the unexplained wealth order neither did
it influence the first respondent (Hodzi) in seeking an explanation from the
applicants as to their interest in US$32 million and their illicit
enrichment," Hodzi argued in the court papers.
Chihuri said
Mnangagwa hounded him out of the police force after he refused to support the
2017 coup that toppled long-time ruler Robert Mugabe.
The PG, however, said the issues that the ex-Zimbabwe
republic Police (ZrP) boss raised had nothing to do with the legal processes to
force him to account for his wealth.
He said allegations raised by Chihuri against his successor
Godwin Matanga, including that he had no ordinary Level qualifications, were
irrelevant and did not make sense.
"It is incredulous for him to accuse his former deputy
of 20 years tenure of being unqualified for such a lofty job when he was the
one who appraised him annually for the stewardship of the administration
department of the police," Hodzi added.
"It is equally ironic to note that having had four
deputy commissioners since his tenure as head of the ZRP, the first applicant
presided over the retirement of other three deputies, who included Messrs
Black, George Kundeya and Ngwenya, whilst remaining with deputy commissioner
Matanga till his retirement, the first applicant now casts aspersions on the
competence and moral probity of his successor simply because he is now faced
with an unexplained wealth order."
Hodzi insisted that the High Court should uphold the
unexplained wealth order against Chihuri so that he explains the source of his
money. Standard
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