President Robert Mugabe has fired prosecutor general, Johannes Tomana, who was accused of obstructing justice over the handling of an alleged bomb plot case linked to the first family and a lawmaker aligned to the ruling Zanu PF party.
A general notice issued Friday in the government gazette indicated that Tomana, who was suspended early this year, has been removed from office with immediate effect.
“… In terms of section 187 (8) of the Constitution (of Zimbabwe), the prosecutor general is removed from office with effect from the date of publication of this notice,” read part of the notice, signed by Mrs. V. Mabiza, secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
It also read in part, “It is hereby notified that His Excellency the president has received the report of the tribunal appointed under section 187(3) as read with section 259(7) of the Constitution to inquire into the question of removing the prosecutor general Johannes Tomana, from office for incompetence and misconduct.
“In that report, the tribunal has advised His Excellency the president that the prosecutor general ought to be removed from office for incompetence.”
Tomana’s lawyer, Thabani Mpofu, and state officials were not available for comment.
Tomana was accused of allegedly releasing from police custody Owen Kuchata (34), leader of the Zimbabwe People’s Front, a fringe political party, Silas Pfupa (37), army corporal Borman Ngwenya (40) and former intelligence officer Solomon Makumbe (29) who were accused of allegedly planning to bomb First Lady Grace Mugabe’s Alpha Omega Dairy in Mazowe.
The four are said to have been allegedly angered by the president’s failure to properly run Zimbabwe.
Critics dismissed the case as a hatchet job by state security agents said to be aligned to some factions of the ruling party trying to succeed 93 year-old President Mugabe.
Tomana was also accused of covering up a rape case of former Bikita West Member of Parliament, Munyaradzi Kereke, who was jailed for 10 years for raping a minor.
His case was handled through private prosecution.