BY RICHARD MUPONDE Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi has suspended the prosecutor Tapiwa Kusema for consenting to the granting bail to four notorious armed robbers led by Musa Taj Abdul. Abdul (47) along with his co-accused Godfrey Mupamhanga (27), Rudolf Tapiwa Kanhanga (29) and Douglas Mutenda (31) were granted bail on Tuesday by High Court Judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero but were immediately arrested on fresh charges before they paid their bail money. The granting of bail triggered an outcry from citizens who described Abdul, a fugitive from justice for the past 20 years, as unfit for bail. Information permanent secretary Nick Mangwana, on twitter also questioned the prosecutor’s rationale for not opposing bail for the criminal. Although Chief Law Officer Justin Uladi yesterday professed ignorance, sources within the judiciary confirmed the suspension of Kasema. Uladi was in the afternoon also quoted by the State-run daily paper confirming Kusema’s suspension. He told the Herald that the police were now investigating Katema while they were preparing to launch an appeal against the High Court decision. A source in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) yesterday confirmed that indeed Kasema has been suspended and a report of corruption has been made to the police. “Yes the letter of suspension has been written. The matter is now under police investigations,” he said. Police yesterday reportedly raided Kusema’s two known addresses and failed to locate him, triggering suspicion that he was not on the run. Abdul and his co-accused will now appear in court on Friday facing new charges. The notorious armed robber Abdul – who has been on police top wanted list for the past 20 years – was arrested in Beitbridge along with six other suspects in August following a tip-off to police. Abdul is accused by police of masterminding numerous criminal activities, including high profile robbery cases reminiscent of the Chidhumo-Masendeke robberies which kept the nation spellbound in the 1990s. Chidhumo and Masendeke were executed in 2002. @muponderichard
