News / National
Zimbabwe's Justice Minister part of drug cartels
17 May 2024 at 06:42hrs | Views
In a clear sign for miscarriage of justice and security institutions porosity, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi has been fingered by one of his close associates, Leeroy Chagwedera upon his arrest in Chegutu during a whistleblower's tip off, stop and search incident which is a further testimony of how Zimbabwean government's tireless efforts to combat drugs and substances abuse remains a futility.
Fictional as it maybe, lowly-ranked officers (constables) from Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on off-duty arrested Chagwedera after they were tipped about a threshold of drugs trafficked in and around the country through Beitbridge border post and find its way mainly to parts of Chegutu, Kadoma and other minerals-rich towns of Mashonaland West province.
"The guy is untouchable in Mashonaland West province and when illicit drugs and substances consignments find their way into Zimbabwe through their cartels, Leeroy Chagwedera is accorded VIP protection from the ZRP Criminal Investigations Department (Drugs and Narcotics Section) who escort the drugs from Harare's Highglen offloading bus terminus rank to Chegutu main drug haven," the whistleblower and informant claimed.
"It was a coincidence that there were constables who were on their way from Chakari area enroute to Harare and they were tipped about the consignments which delivered in Chegutu when they intercepted Chagwedera in the car and recovered some illicit drugs where they imminently arrest him," the whistleblower added.
"Upon arrest by the officers, Chagwedera bragged that he will be released upon Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi's command, hence has influence from all justice, legal and security institutions of the land," the whistleblower added.
After sensing danger and fear of interference or distortion of evidence, the constables were tipped by the informant that Chagwedera enjoys immunity from arrest and detention, the constables decided to bring him to Harare central police station.
"He (Chagwedera) also told the officers that in Chegutu, he deals with local Magistrates Court official named Sana (PP), Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Obey Nyamukanga, among other security officials from ZRP drugs and narcotics section)," the informant claimed.
One of the vehicles used during drug trafficking include Leeroy Chagwedera's Mercedes Benz ML with registration number ACN 0242.
When the officers arrived at Harare central police station, the officers warned those constables to either release him, lost their jobs or transfer him to Matapi Police Station.
"At Matapi police station, they agreed to detain him (Chagwedera) temporarily overnight whilst awaiting transfer back to Chegutu under Reference number 5951898 where he got released upon arrival in Chegutu," the informant said.
According to the informant, Chagwedera has allegedly been on several occasions released upon Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi's command and meanwhile, its business as usual as drugs are currently supplied in various mining-rich towns of Zimbabwe whilst the cartels enjoy immunity from arrest or through catch and release after intervention of powerful elites.
Efforts to get a comment from ZRP National Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi were futile as he did not answer his phone regardless of several missed calls.
Zimbabwe has long suffered from most notorious drug gangs as most of the cartels involve powerful politicians who have amased wealth through establishing drug havens or empires throughout the country's most dormitory cities and mining towns.
For a long time, politicians and authorities took little efforts on the issue of drug smuggling via ports of entries and were allegedly not serious enough to address the scourge. Security measures were too lax, and drug gangs had it easy.
Drug cartels are increasingly bribing port of entry insiders to help them evade scrutiny. Even in circumstances that authorities are alarmed, and port operators have stepped up security measures and employee-education campaigns drugs and substances consignments find their way into the country.
Meanwhile, United States Of America's presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is privately considering a plan to deploy American assassination squads to Mexico to take out drug cartel leaders if he is re-elected in November, according to a report.
Fictional as it maybe, lowly-ranked officers (constables) from Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on off-duty arrested Chagwedera after they were tipped about a threshold of drugs trafficked in and around the country through Beitbridge border post and find its way mainly to parts of Chegutu, Kadoma and other minerals-rich towns of Mashonaland West province.
"The guy is untouchable in Mashonaland West province and when illicit drugs and substances consignments find their way into Zimbabwe through their cartels, Leeroy Chagwedera is accorded VIP protection from the ZRP Criminal Investigations Department (Drugs and Narcotics Section) who escort the drugs from Harare's Highglen offloading bus terminus rank to Chegutu main drug haven," the whistleblower and informant claimed.
"It was a coincidence that there were constables who were on their way from Chakari area enroute to Harare and they were tipped about the consignments which delivered in Chegutu when they intercepted Chagwedera in the car and recovered some illicit drugs where they imminently arrest him," the whistleblower added.
"Upon arrest by the officers, Chagwedera bragged that he will be released upon Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi's command, hence has influence from all justice, legal and security institutions of the land," the whistleblower added.
After sensing danger and fear of interference or distortion of evidence, the constables were tipped by the informant that Chagwedera enjoys immunity from arrest and detention, the constables decided to bring him to Harare central police station.
"He (Chagwedera) also told the officers that in Chegutu, he deals with local Magistrates Court official named Sana (PP), Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Obey Nyamukanga, among other security officials from ZRP drugs and narcotics section)," the informant claimed.
One of the vehicles used during drug trafficking include Leeroy Chagwedera's Mercedes Benz ML with registration number ACN 0242.
When the officers arrived at Harare central police station, the officers warned those constables to either release him, lost their jobs or transfer him to Matapi Police Station.
"At Matapi police station, they agreed to detain him (Chagwedera) temporarily overnight whilst awaiting transfer back to Chegutu under Reference number 5951898 where he got released upon arrival in Chegutu," the informant said.
According to the informant, Chagwedera has allegedly been on several occasions released upon Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi's command and meanwhile, its business as usual as drugs are currently supplied in various mining-rich towns of Zimbabwe whilst the cartels enjoy immunity from arrest or through catch and release after intervention of powerful elites.
Efforts to get a comment from ZRP National Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi were futile as he did not answer his phone regardless of several missed calls.
Zimbabwe has long suffered from most notorious drug gangs as most of the cartels involve powerful politicians who have amased wealth through establishing drug havens or empires throughout the country's most dormitory cities and mining towns.
For a long time, politicians and authorities took little efforts on the issue of drug smuggling via ports of entries and were allegedly not serious enough to address the scourge. Security measures were too lax, and drug gangs had it easy.
Drug cartels are increasingly bribing port of entry insiders to help them evade scrutiny. Even in circumstances that authorities are alarmed, and port operators have stepped up security measures and employee-education campaigns drugs and substances consignments find their way into the country.
Meanwhile, United States Of America's presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is privately considering a plan to deploy American assassination squads to Mexico to take out drug cartel leaders if he is re-elected in November, according to a report.
Source - Gideon Madzikatidze
