News / National
Chombo clear Mphoko on Avondale police station saga
08 Dec 2016 at 06:58hrs | Views
Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko never personally released two Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) top officials - Moses Juma and Davison Norupiri from Avondale Police Station holding cells, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo has claimed.
In July, Mphoko who was acting president at the time made headlines when he reportedly stormed the station and ordered terrified police officers to release his 'boys'.
Police tried to resist Mphoko's demands and a scuffle subsequently ensued as his aides assaulted a police officer who was defying the order.
Reports said Mphoko's 'boy's where facing corruption charges involving over $1 million.
However, in a ministerial statement to parliament on Wednesday, Chombo denied Mphoko ever releasing the pair.
He said police did not even arrest Dura and Norupiri but the station only provided holding cells.
Mphoko was in parliament yesterday.
Below is Chombo's submission:
"Madam Speaker, on the 5th of October, Hon. E. Cross asked the Minister of Home Affairs an Oral Question to state if it is Government policy to allow senior members of the Executive to order release of suspects arrested on criminal charges, to also state whether the released persons were under the instruction of the Acting President; also to report whether any kind of force was used and to state whether any physical injuries to the police officers were sustained in the incident.
I had promised to check and bring an answer to this august House. So, I do have the answer and I wish to go through it.
Section 56 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, provides that all persons are equal before the law and have the right and equal protection and benefit of the law.
In this context, therefore, no person is above the law and any person who has committed an offence must accordingly be dealt with in terms of the law.
Section 219 of the same Constitution provides for the police inter-alia to prevent and investigate crime. In enforcing the law, the police will do so without fear or favour.
The Constitution as the Supreme law of the land provides the guiding principles in dealing with all matters including prevention and investigation of crime.
It follows therefore that the Constitution of Zimbabwe has a policy framework on which all other matters must derive authority. It has never been and/or will ever be Government policy for any person regardless of status to interfere with police operations.
Item number 2 – the two persons referred to in this question were not arrested by the police.
Police Avondale provided detention facilities, otherwise the suspects were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
As the Minister of Home Affairs, I can therefore not comment further on suspects who were arrested by another entity and not by the police.
Police fall under Home Affairs, Anti-Corruption Commission does not.
I wish also to further state that I do not know under whose instruction they were released and therefore, I have nothing to tell to this august House.
I will also want to further state that the police at Avondale or anywhere have not received any complaint from anybody about injuries or anything.
In July, Mphoko who was acting president at the time made headlines when he reportedly stormed the station and ordered terrified police officers to release his 'boys'.
Police tried to resist Mphoko's demands and a scuffle subsequently ensued as his aides assaulted a police officer who was defying the order.
Reports said Mphoko's 'boy's where facing corruption charges involving over $1 million.
However, in a ministerial statement to parliament on Wednesday, Chombo denied Mphoko ever releasing the pair.
He said police did not even arrest Dura and Norupiri but the station only provided holding cells.
Mphoko was in parliament yesterday.
Below is Chombo's submission:
"Madam Speaker, on the 5th of October, Hon. E. Cross asked the Minister of Home Affairs an Oral Question to state if it is Government policy to allow senior members of the Executive to order release of suspects arrested on criminal charges, to also state whether the released persons were under the instruction of the Acting President; also to report whether any kind of force was used and to state whether any physical injuries to the police officers were sustained in the incident.
I had promised to check and bring an answer to this august House. So, I do have the answer and I wish to go through it.
In this context, therefore, no person is above the law and any person who has committed an offence must accordingly be dealt with in terms of the law.
Section 219 of the same Constitution provides for the police inter-alia to prevent and investigate crime. In enforcing the law, the police will do so without fear or favour.
The Constitution as the Supreme law of the land provides the guiding principles in dealing with all matters including prevention and investigation of crime.
It follows therefore that the Constitution of Zimbabwe has a policy framework on which all other matters must derive authority. It has never been and/or will ever be Government policy for any person regardless of status to interfere with police operations.
Item number 2 – the two persons referred to in this question were not arrested by the police.
Police Avondale provided detention facilities, otherwise the suspects were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
As the Minister of Home Affairs, I can therefore not comment further on suspects who were arrested by another entity and not by the police.
Police fall under Home Affairs, Anti-Corruption Commission does not.
I wish also to further state that I do not know under whose instruction they were released and therefore, I have nothing to tell to this august House.
I will also want to further state that the police at Avondale or anywhere have not received any complaint from anybody about injuries or anything.
Source - Byo24News
