Higher Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, who is facing allegations of abusing $450 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) said the police were not ready to arrest him and the courts have no jurisdiction to order his arrest.
Opposing an application by a Harare vendor, Mr Hardlife Mudzingwa to have him arrested on corruption charges, Prof Moyo said,
The first member of the ZRP is before the court as the third respondent. The third respondent has filed an affidavit and is not ‘ready’ to arrest me. It is not the eagerness of anyone that brings anyone or places anything before a court of law. The procedure that attends to how a criminal process may be activated does not involve that. If the police have no cause to believe reasonably that one has committed a crime, then that is the end of the matter. It renders the suspicion of everyone else, including fourth respondent (ZACC)and applicant’s, unreasonable. No arrest ensues.
Moyo also denied the allegations levelled against him.
I must state at the outset that I deny each and every allegation of impropriety levelled against me in the discharge of my constitutional mandate as a delegate of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. I specifically reiterate that I have at all material times faithfully adhered to my oath of office as a public servant. I have loyally and faithfully discharged my constitutional obligations as a law-abiding citizen.
Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo yesterday deferred the hearing of the matter to Friday to allow Mr Mudzingwa’s lawyers to file an answering affidavit and other papers relevant to the case.
More: Herald