BY RICHARD MUPONDE
PROSECUTOR-GENERAL Kumbirai Hodzi has suspended the prosecutor Tapiwa Kasema for consenting to granting bail to four notorious armed robbers led by Musa Taj Abdul.
Abdul (47) along with his co-accused Godfrey Mupamhanga (27), Rudolf Tapiwa Kanhanga (29) and Douglas Mutenda (31) were granted bail on Tuesday by High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero but were immediately arrested on fresh charges before they could pay the bail money.
The bail ruling triggered an outcry from citizens who said Abdul, a fugitive from justice for the past 20 years was unfit for bail. Information permanent secretary Nick Mangwana on Twitter also questioned the prosecutor’s rationale for not opposing bail for the criminal.
Although Chief Law Officer Justin Uladi yesterday professed ignorance, sources within the Judiciary confirmed the suspension of Kasema. Uladi was in the afternoon quoted by the State-run daily paper confirming Kusema’s suspension.
He told the Herald that the police were investigating Kasema while preparing to launch an appeal against the High Court decision.
A source at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) yesterday confirmed that indeed Kasema had been suspended and a corruption case had been reported to the police.
“Yes the letter of suspension has been written. The matter is now under police investigation,” he said.
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Police yesterday reportedly raided Kusema’s two known addresses and failed to locate him, triggering suspicion that he was on the run.
Abdul and his co-accused will now appear in court on Friday acing new charges.
The notorious armed robber Abdul — who has been on police top wanted list for the past 20 years — was arrested in Beitbridge in August along with six other suspects following a tip-off to police.
Abdul is accused of masterminding numerous criminal activities, including high profile robbery cases reminiscent of the Chidhumo-Masendeke robberies which kept the nation spellbound in the 1990s. Chidhumo and Masendeke were executed in 2002.
Follow Richard on Twitter @muponderichard
