News / National
ICC has no jurisdiction to prosecute us - Tomana
12 May 2012 at 09:58hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's top lawyer, Artonney General Johannes Tomana, this week said Zimbabwean citizens will not be subjected to South African and international laws that the country is not part to.
He said this in response to a ruling by a South African court this week ordering the prosecution of Zimbabwean officials who were involved in the torture of the then opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in 2007.
The ruling meant that South African authorities can probe and prosecute crimes committed in neighbouring Zimbabwe under international law.
In his ruling, South African judge Hans Fabricius said there are reasonable grounds for the prosecution of Zimbabwean officials once they step into South Africa.
"In my view it is clear when an investigation under the ICC Act is requested, and a reasonable basis exists for doing an investigation, political considerations or diplomatic initiatives are not relevant," said Fabricius in his 100 paged judgement.
Several Zimbabwean officials frequently travel to South Africa for shopping and medical reasons.
They also regularly visit South African universities to see their children studying there.
But Tomana dismissed the ruling laughing it off as a political exercise in futility.
"The South African Police Service has no jurisdiction to prosecute us," said Johannes Tomana, Attorney General (AG).
The top government lawyer said even the International Criminal Court (ICC) have no right over Zimbabweans.
"ICC has no jurisdiction to prosecute us. Crimes against Zimbabweans falls under the laws of Zimbabwe and can only be prosecuted under these laws. Zimbabwe itself is not party to the ICC charter, it is not a member of the ICC," said Tomana adding that there is no prosecuting arrangement between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
"I am not aware of such arrangement between South Africa and us and between us and ICC to prosecute Zimbabweans. In a way we are disappointed by this political decision," Tomana added.
The ICC is a Netherlands based court established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Zimbabwe is not part to the Rome Statute which established the court on 1 July 2002.
The ruling by the South African court was sponsored by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) and the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum who brought a case before the court seeking to force prosecutors to open an investigation, citing South Africa's ICC obligations.
The two groups want South Africa to arrest and prosecute 17 Zimbabweans accused of torture in 2007 if they enter the country for holiday, shopping or seeking medical treatment.
South African prosecutors had refused to investigate the allegations, citing among other things political concerns which brought about sensitivity around that country's role as the mediator to the country's political crisis.
He said this in response to a ruling by a South African court this week ordering the prosecution of Zimbabwean officials who were involved in the torture of the then opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in 2007.
The ruling meant that South African authorities can probe and prosecute crimes committed in neighbouring Zimbabwe under international law.
In his ruling, South African judge Hans Fabricius said there are reasonable grounds for the prosecution of Zimbabwean officials once they step into South Africa.
"In my view it is clear when an investigation under the ICC Act is requested, and a reasonable basis exists for doing an investigation, political considerations or diplomatic initiatives are not relevant," said Fabricius in his 100 paged judgement.
Several Zimbabwean officials frequently travel to South Africa for shopping and medical reasons.
They also regularly visit South African universities to see their children studying there.
But Tomana dismissed the ruling laughing it off as a political exercise in futility.
The top government lawyer said even the International Criminal Court (ICC) have no right over Zimbabweans.
"ICC has no jurisdiction to prosecute us. Crimes against Zimbabweans falls under the laws of Zimbabwe and can only be prosecuted under these laws. Zimbabwe itself is not party to the ICC charter, it is not a member of the ICC," said Tomana adding that there is no prosecuting arrangement between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
"I am not aware of such arrangement between South Africa and us and between us and ICC to prosecute Zimbabweans. In a way we are disappointed by this political decision," Tomana added.
The ICC is a Netherlands based court established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Zimbabwe is not part to the Rome Statute which established the court on 1 July 2002.
The ruling by the South African court was sponsored by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) and the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum who brought a case before the court seeking to force prosecutors to open an investigation, citing South Africa's ICC obligations.
The two groups want South Africa to arrest and prosecute 17 Zimbabweans accused of torture in 2007 if they enter the country for holiday, shopping or seeking medical treatment.
South African prosecutors had refused to investigate the allegations, citing among other things political concerns which brought about sensitivity around that country's role as the mediator to the country's political crisis.
Source - radiovop
