National Prosecuting Authority attorneys yesterday went on
strike protesting over poor working conditions and operational challenges
resulting in the disruption of proceedings at the superior and magistrate’s
courts.
The prosecutors handed a petition to the Prosecutor-General
(PG)’s Office in which they raised a wide range of issues affecting their
operations including complaints over recent arrest of colleagues over alleged
abuse of office.
Edmore Nyazamba and Tinashe Kasema were arrested and
appeared in court charged with criminal abuse of office as public officers. The prosecutors claimed that they were not being protected
from the decisions they make in the course of their duties.
“If anything they are being persecuted for exercising their
legal minds,” read the petition. “Before a prosecutor is arrested, internal
remedies must be exhausted first before criminal allegations are laid on the
prosecutors.”
They also pleaded for protection by the organisation from
intimidation by “any powers that be”. The Special
Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) was not spared for allegedly abusing their office.
In the petition, the prosecutors complained that they
allegedly were getting a lot of instructions from the SACU, yet in terms of the
NPA Act, they both have delegated authority from the PG.
The prosecutors also
want the chief prosecutors, as the NPA internal advocates, to take a leading
role in prosecuting all complex and sensitive matters in all courts.
Also highlighted in the in the 14-page petition is the
issue of housing and vehicle loans. They said most of them do not own houses
and are tenants despite being in the organisation for many years, some up to 20
years.
“Justice is likely to be compromised as their landlords may
at any time be litigants before the criminal courts and most prosecutors are
being reported to the rent board for failing to pay rentals which are now paid
in USD,” it said.
Most prosecutors, the petition said, relied on public
transport, which they argue poses a high risk to their lives.
Other issues being raised include health care, training and
lack of resources for researching on cases in the ever changing world of law.
At the High Court yesterday, Justice Tawanda Chitapi, was
forced to abandon the bail applications hearing after prosecutors failed to
show up.
At least 41 bail
applications had been set for hearing. At Harare magistrates’ courts, the case
of ex-minister Ignatius Chombo was deferred after the prosecutor dealing with
the matter did not turn up.
The PG, Mr Kumbirai Hodzi, could not be reached for
comment. Herald
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