Kasema who went into hiding a few hours after he was
suspended from duty by Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi surrendered himself to
police at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in the
company of his lawyer.
He was then arrested and is still assisting police with
investigations. The matter is being handled by the CID Police Ant-Corruption
Unit (PACU). National police
spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the latest
developments.
“We can confirm that Tapiwa Kasema has been arrested this
morning. He surrendered himself at the CID while in the company of his lawyer.
He is now in police custody and due processes of the law are now being
followed,” he said.
Since Tuesday, officers from Harare Central Police Station,
who were keen to question him as the investigation started, could not locate
him at his Glen View 3 home where his family professed ignorance over his
whereabouts.
The police first visited Kasema’s residence in 49th
Crescent on Tuesday night, but did not find him.
They later proceeded to his mother’s house where the search
yielded the same result. Continued efforts to locate had been fruitless.
On Wednesday, Chief Law Officer in the Prosecutor-General’s
Office Mr Justin Uladi confirmed the suspension of Kasema, saying the matter
had been referred to the police for investigations, while they are preparing to
launch an appeal against the High Court decision.
Mr Uladi said the State was appealing against Justice
Chikowero’s decision to grant bail.
“Our prosecutor did not have the requisite authority to
file the consent order as per our standard operating procedures,” he said. “Further,
the judge misdirected himself in relying on a concession which was improperly
made. In an event the judge was not bound by the concession by the prosecutor.
Therefore, the judge did not properly apply his mind to the case before him.”
Kasema made headlines when he was arrested last year on
criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly consented to the release of
a passport belonging to former Cabinet minister Ignatius Chombo, who was facing
several corruption allegations.
He was arrested by officers from the Criminal
Investigations Department Commercial Crime Division and his docket was being
handled by the Anti-Corruption Special Unit department.
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