President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has called all political fugitives to return home and face punishment before they face extradition.
In a statement, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the government was seized with corruption-related matters.
He advised Zimbabweans who fled the country while they had unfinished cases in courts to come back and clear their names before they face extradition.
“Secondly, corruption remains cancer that gnaws slowly against our thrust as a nation towards the Vision 2030 trajectory set out by His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa.
The law enforcement agencies are rebounding their efforts to tackle the scourge, working in concert with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Special Anti Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet. Citizens must play an active role in reporting any acts of corruption they witness and should help law enforcement agencies to identify and locate the suspects.
“On a related matter, we are seized with securing the return of fugitives from justice that are scattered in various parts of the globe. Zimbabwe is renowned for its fair justice system which will afford all such fugitives the opportunity to return home and clear their names. As law enforcement agencies, our role is to bring suspects to justice, then the normal procedures take effect. We urge the suspects to do themselves a favor by voluntarily returning to clear their names if they are innocent,” Kazembe said.
The Government through the National Prosecuting Authority this week said it had formally approached South Africa to help extradite former Zanu PF Political Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere.
Kasukuwere together with former cabinet ministers, Jonathan Moyo, Walter Mzembi, and Patrick Zhuwao fled the country in November 2017 after a military coup that ousted late former president Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa has been trying to extradite them but the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) in 2018 refused to cooperate with the government of Zimbabwe.
Interpol argued that the charges the former Zanu PF politicians faced were more political.
-Josey Mahachi