Investigation into Mugabe 'assassins' complete

Investigations into the alleged plots to assassinate President Robert Mugabe are complete and the police are consulting Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana on what to do next.

"The police have done their work concerning the issue but they have to get the opinion the Prosecutor General on the matter before they can proceed. Yes, the investigations were done and now the Prosecutor General has to give his opinion on the matter," said Home Affairs Deputy Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi in a telephone interview.

He said people implicated in the alleged plot would be arrested should the police find overwhelming evidence against them, and promised action "soon".

Ex-Vice President Joice Mujuru, former Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa, ex-minister of Public Service Nicholas Goche and ousted spokesperson Rugare Gumbo stand accused of plotting the assassination.

The alleged plot came to light following a scathing attack on Mujuru by Mugabe's wife Grace last year. Grace blamed Mujuru for working in cahoots with forces opposed to Mugabe's rule to unconstitutionally unseat him.

Mutasa reportedly revealed during the run up to Zanu (PF's) December congress that Mugabe would be shot if he did not allow Mujuru to take over from him. Gumbo stands accused of saying that Mugabe's fate would be similar to that of late Democrat Republic of Congo (DRC) President Laurent Kabila, who was shot by one of his aides in 2001.

Goche is accused of having approached hit men in South Africa and Israel to plot the assassination of Mugabe. Other allegations against Goche are that in September last year he warned that there would be war before congress.

Once Mugabe's close confidant, Mutasa has maintained that he is unfazed by plans to have him and other officials arrested for trying to kill the Zanu-PF leader.

Last month, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Virginia Mabiza said government officials were living in fear following an attempt on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's life.

Last year, burglars broke into Mnangagwa's office at Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare and reportedly sprinkled cyanide on furniture and floors in a bid to assassinate him. Three staffers were reportedly affected and later treated.

There has been growing criticism in Zanu-PF circles of the manner in which the police was handling the issue of the alleged assassins loyal to Mujuru. Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has been fingered as a Mujuru loyalist.

However, the ZRP is on record distancing itself from factional wars within Zanu-PF saying that the force was non-partisan in its operations. Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, was evasive when asked about police progress on the alleged plots to assassinate Mugabe. "I am in a meeting at the moment. Call me later when I finish," she said. Efforts to contact her later proved fruitless as her mobile phone went unanswered.

A source at the PG's office who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the police were making a number of consultations on the way forward. "The Prosecutor General's office is currently seized with the issue. I think any course of action that the police take would be based on recommendations from Tomana," said the source.