Deputy Prosecutor-General (DPG) Florence Ziyambi was allegedly physically manhandled by Colonel Solomon Siziba, who is an administrator on secondment to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), as the fight for control of the recently established independent prosecution office took a nasty turn last month. BY CHARLES LAITON
Ziyambi, who is NPA director and prosecutor-general Johannes Tomana’s deputy, is Home Affairs deputy minister Ziyambi Ziyambi wife.
The deputy minister was also currently Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial acting chairman.
It is alleged that Siziba assaulted Ziyambi on February 13 this year at the New Government Complex in Harare.
According to court papers gleaned by NewsDay, Ziyambi filed assault and indecent assault charges at Harare Central Police Station under CR 1054/2/15 and the cases were also vetted at the PG’s office under reference number AG170/15.
Siziba was summoned to appear at the Harare Magistrates’ Court, but the docket was reportedly re-called by other top officials at Tomana’s office.
On the day in question it is alleged, Ziyambi had a meeting with deputy national director — public prosecutions (DNDPP) Nelson Mutsonziwa in her office discussing administrative issues affecting the NPA.
While the duo was still having their meeting, it is alleged, Siziba stormed into the office and requested to meet Ziyambi.
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After a while Ziyambi invited Siziba into her office and together with Mutsonziwa they allegedly discussed outstanding issues on fuel allocation to their officers and the meeting ended in a debate.
It is alleged, it was at that juncture that Siziba requested Mutsonziwa to excuse them for about two minutes as he indicated that he had something to say to Ziyambi in privacy.
“I then requested the accused to be quick as the DNDPP had another meeting at the police CID Headquarters and the accused indicated he would only take two minutes,” Ziyambi said in her statement to police.
“As soon as the DNDPP left the office and as the door was closed behind him, the accused started accusing me and the ‘officers’ of disliking him, Major Msipa and Major Manyeruke, who are with NPA on secondment. I then asked him to explain what he meant by that and he then particularly singled me out as having written a letter to some office expressing discontent over events happening at the office. He also accused me and some ‘officers’ of sending documents to some ‘office’ and that he did not like that.”
Siziba then allegedly charged towards Ziyambi and threatened to shoot her while poking her face.
“I then asked him to bring the said documents so that I could appreciate what that was all about as it was pointless to discuss hearsay,” Ziyambi said.
“As soon as I finished uttering that statement, I could notice that the accused was simmering with anger as I could see his face had changed. He then stood up and was now charging at me indicating that he was a war veteran and that during the liberation struggle they would shoot people like me and that if anyone gets in his way he will shoot that person as they used to do during the war.”
According to the NPA hierarchy, Ziyambi is a constitutional appointee, at the level of a High Court judge while the position of Siziba, a colonel in the Zimbabwe National Army was not a constitutional appointment rank.
However, Ziyambi said Siziba claimed to be answerable to Tomana.
