NPA declines to prosecute Chamisa's councillor

POLICE were left embarrassed Wednesday after National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officials in Karoi declined to prosecute Nyaminyami Rural District Council (NRDC) ward 3 councillor, Taiti Busumani (36) for deliberately sidelining traditional leaders in developmental projects in the area saying the charges against him were non-existent at law.

Police's Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Karoi had preferred charges under Section 59(l)(A)(B) of the Rural District Councils Act Chapter 29:13 as read with Section 20(2) of the Traditional Leaders' Act Chapter 23:17.

According to the summary jurisdiction outline, the charges were that during the period extending from 2018 to 2021 Busumani intentionally elected members of the ward development committee for NRDC ward 3 and caused the committee to operate without the directions of the ward assembly in contravention of statute.

However, the matter failed to go past the vetting process by NPA officials who rejected the docket on the basis the charges were "invalid and non-existent at Criminal Law."

Busumani's lawyer, Job Sikhala, was happy about the outcome and described his client's arrest and detention as "persecution."

"It's purely madness in the country. Mere persecution of an innocent councillor in the prosecution of his duties," Sikhala told NewZimbabwe.com.

Busumani (36) of the MDC Alliance party, was last week arrested at Mola Business Centre and spent three days in custody without charge detained at Siakobvu police station, before he was taken to Karoi for further interrogation.

He was later released into the custody of his lawyer Sikhala who objected to his illegal prolonged detention by the authorities, who had failed to prefer specific charges.

Busumani is accused of implementing developmental projects in his ward without consulting Chief Negande, born Kausu Mpofu, the headman and kraal heads.

The projects included rehabilitation of dip tanks, construction of a school and road refurbishment using finances derived from conservation programmes in Mola's ward 3, NRDC, which is the only ward where there are trophy hunting operations.

MDC Alliance Mashonaland West provincial spokesperson, Blessing Mandava welomed the outcome before accusing police of being partisan.

"Once again, the partisan regime enablers masquerading as police officers have been caught off guard and left with egg on the face as Busumani was acquitted of the crimes levelled against him as the prosecution declined to prosecute on the basis of a non existent crime.

"The fearless people's Advocate Honourable Job 'Wiwa' Sikhala did a splendid job to rescue the abducted councillor who was being illegally, unlawfully and politically detained by the partisan regime enablers without any charge whatsoever," said Mandava.

He added: "This has not only exposed the police force as a proponent of dictatorship, but also as a commissariat of Zanu-PF, which does part of its work to undermine the MDC Alliance."