Image copyright JEKESAI NJIKIZANA Image caption Prosecutor Johannes Tomana will now face a High Court trial for criminal abuse of office

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has sacked the country's chief prosecutor, Johannes Tomana, after a tribunal found him guilty of misconduct and incompetence.

Local media say he will now face trial for criminal abuse of office.

Mr Tomana was suspended back in February 2016.

His removal came after he dropped charges against two army officers accused of plotting to blow up a dairy belonging to Mr Mugabe's wife, Grace.

The two men were among four arrested outside the dairy farm, north of the capital, Harare.

They were found carrying ammonia and petrol bombs.

The men were initially charged with possession of weaponry for sabotage, and with money laundering for terrorism purposes. Charges of treason were added later.

The four were accused of hatching a plan to set up a militia base to the west of Harare, with the aim of unseating Mr Mugabe's government.

Mr Tomana was accused of obstructing the course of justice by releasing two of the suspects, which he denied.

In 2015, Mr Tomana was convicted of abuse of power after refusing to prosecute a lawmaker with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party for raping a child at gunpoint.

He was threatened with 30 days in prison over the matter, but eventually agreed to act.

The legislator, Munyaradzi Kereke, was later convicted of rape and imprisoned.</s>Robert Mugabe has fired Zimbabwe’s top prosecutor, who now faces a misconduct trial, state media reported Saturday, the latest twist in a dispute dating back more than a year. “Suspended prosecutor general Mr Johannes Tomana was yesterday (Friday) fired for misconduct and incompetence after a tribunal set by President Mugabe to probe him recommended dismissal,” …

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>President Robert Mugabe has fired Zimbabwe’s top prosecutor, who now faces a misconduct trial, state media reported Saturday, the latest twist in a dispute dating back more than a year.

“Suspended prosecutor general Mr Johannes Tomana was yesterday (Friday) fired for misconduct and incompetence after a tribunal set by President Mugabe to probe him recommended dismissal,” The Herald newspaper reported.

Tomana faced charges of “criminal abuse of office” and was awaiting trial, the paper added, without giving further details.

He was suspended in February 2016 after dropping charges against two men accused of plotting to bomb a dairy plant that belonged to the president’s wife, Grace Mugabe.

A year earlier he was convicted of abuse of power after initially refusing to prosecute a legislator with Mugabe’s ZANU PF Party accused of raping a minor.

Tomana, once seen as a Mugabe loyalist, was threatened with 30 days in jail for his conduct in the affair, but eventually reversed his decision.

The legislator in question was eventually privately prosecuted, convicted and jailed.

The post Zimbabwe’s Mugabe fires top prosecutor for ‘misconduct’ appeared first on Vanguard News.

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Do you something awesome to share with the world? Click here to share

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>President Robert Mugabe has fired Zimbabwe's top prosecutor, who now faces a misconduct trial, state media reported Saturday, the latest twist in a dispute dating back more than a year.

"Suspended prosecutor general Mr Johannes Tomana was yesterday (Friday) fired for misconduct and incompetence after a tribunal set by President Mugabe to probe him recommended dismissal," The Herald newspaper reported.

Tomana faced charges of "criminal abuse of office" and was awaiting trial, the paper added, without giving further details.

He was suspended in February 2016 after dropping charges against two men accused of plotting to bomb a dairy plant that belonged to the president's wife, Grace Mugabe.

A year earlier he was convicted of abuse of power after initially refusing to prosecute a legislator with Mugabe's ZANU PF Party accused of raping a minor.

Tomana, once seen as a Mugabe loyalist, was threatened with 30 days in jail for his conduct in the affair, but eventually reversed his decision.

The legislator in question was eventually privately prosecuted, convicted and jailed.</s>Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has sacked the country's chief prosecutor, Johannes Tomana, after a tribunal found him guilty of misconduct and incompetence.

Local media say he will now face trial for criminal abuse of office.

His removal came after he dropped charges against two army officers accused of plotting to blow up a dairy belonging to Mr Mugabe's wife.

He was accused of obstructing the course of justice, which he denied.
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In 2015, Mr Tomana was convicted of abuse of power after refusing to prosecute a lawmaker with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party for raping a child at gunpoint.

He was threatened with 30 days in prison over the matter, but eventually agreed to act.

The legislator, Munyaradzi Kereke, was later convicted of rape and imprisoned.</s>Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has sacked the country’s chief prosecutor, Johannes Tomana, after a tribunal found him guilty of misconduct and incompetence, the BBC reports.

Local media say he will now face trial for criminal abuse of office.

His removal came after he dropped charges against two army officers accused of plotting to blow up a dairy belonging to Mr Mugabe’s wife, Grace.

The two men were among four arrested outside the dairy farm, north of the capital, Harare.

They were found carrying ammonia and petrol bombs.

The men were initially charged with possession of weaponry for sabotage, and with money laundering for terrorism purposes. Charges of treason were added later.

The four were accused of hatching a plan to set up a militia base to the west of Harare, with the aim of unseating Mr Mugabe’s government.

Mr Tomana was accused of obstructing the course of justice by releasing two of the suspects, which he denied. In 2015, Mr Tomana was convicted of abuse of power after refusing to prosecute a lawmaker with Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party for raping a child at gunpoint. He was threatened with 30 days in prison over the matter, but eventually agreed to act. The legislator, Munyaradzi Kereke, was later convicted of rape and imprisoned.

The post President Mugabe Sacks Zimbabwe’s Chief Prosecutor Johannes Tomana appeared first on SIGNAL.

This post was syndicated from SIGNAL. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Do you something awesome to share with the world? Click here to share

Do you ever have any question about anything you wish to ask and get answer? Click here to ask

Also, Like us on facebook</s>Zambia's opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is set to face treason charges at the High Court, and SA has suspended imports of all poultry products from Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe, who is currently in New York where he is attending a UN summit on the oceans, has lamented the "senseless loss" of more than 40 lives in a bus crash this week on the main highway to Zambia.

Start the conversation, or Read more at News24.</s>It's been a long day for old man Chris Matthews. Hosting Hardball on Thursday night after opining all day on the blockbuster Jim Comey Senate hearing, Matthews used his daily "Trump Watch" commentary to compare President Trump to Zimbabwe's murderous dictator Robert Mughabe who ignores critics and operates with absolute rule.

Start the conversation, or Read more at NewsBusters.org.</s>* They say he on private holiday, expected back this week

HARARE, April 10 Zimbabwean officials on Tuesday dismissed reports President Robert Mugabe was seriously ill in Singapore, saying he was well, on holiday there with his family and expected to return home this week.

Chief spokesman for Mugabe's ZANU-PF party Rugare Gumbo told state television the reports were "lies meant to destabilise Zimbabwe" and the veteran leader would return home this week.

Two other senior officials had also angrily denied reports by some international media that he was undergoing intensive treatment in a Singapore hospital and was fighting for his life.

The 88-year-old president has been the subject of several health scares in recent years, with some reports saying he has prostate cancer, but in February interviews with state media he laughed off suggestions that he was seriously ill.

Mugabe is one of Africa's longest serving leaders and has ruled the former British colony in southern Africa since 1980. He is sharing power with political rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in a fragile coalition formed three years ago.

"Some sick and malicious people are spreading false stories about him being seriously ill while others are saying he is dead or dying out there," one ZANU-PF official said.

Mugabe has made frequent visits to Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, where medical care is far better than in his impoverished state.

A terse Zimbabwean government statement saying a weekly cabinet meeting set for Tuesday had been postponed to Thursday had fed the rash of media speculation about the president's health. Mugabe usually chairs cabinet meetings.

Mugabe and ZANU-PF are blamed for turning his resource rich state into an economic basket case due to massive fiscal blunders, with international donors and foreign firms waiting for a more responsible government to be in place before sending billions of dollars in the country.

Zimbabwe's capital Harare was quiet, with government offices and businesses re-opening after the Easter holiday.

Mugabe, who celebrated his 88th birthday on Feb. 21, was endorsed by his party as its presidential candidate for a general election he wants to be held before the end of this year despite opposition from his major political rivals.

Analysts say Mugabe will face a tough challenge convincing voters to extend his 32-year rule after a devastating economic crisis many blame on ZANU-PF.

There are fears that if Mugabe dies in office without settling a bitter succession battle in his ZANU-PF, the party could erupt in internal conflict and destabilise the country.

Most of Zimbabwe's newspapers on Tuesday carried no reports of Mugabe's purported illness. But one carried a story on the succession battle in the veteran leader's ZANU-PF party.

Although ZANU-PF officials rally behind Mugabe in public, in private many want him to retire and pass the baton to a younger heir due to fears his advanced age may cost the party victory in the upcoming election.

While some ZANU-PF members now see Mugabe as a political liability, many also recognise him as the only one able to control a highly partisan Zimbabwean army led by veterans of the 1970s independence war.

Many are also unsure whether his potential successors in the party can defeat Tsvangirai in a free election. Elections must be held by next year under their power-sharing deal. (Reporting by Cris Chinaka, editing by Ed Stoddard and Jon Herskovitz)</s>* ZANU-PF is "stuck with him" - analyst

HARARE, Feb 21 Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe turned 88 on Tuesday, vowing to stay in power despite grumbling inside his party that he should hand over to a younger leader, and international condemnation of his economic and human rights record.

Mugabe said he was healthy and fit, in an interview with state television aired late on Monday, and made no reference to media reports that he is receiving treatment for prostate cancer in Singapore.

"At this age I can still go some distance, can't I," Mugabe said, laughing, clapping his hands and rocking in his chair.

Mugabe once charmed global figures with his wit and intellect in the early years of his rule when a relatively rich Zimbabwe was praised for its education and social systems.

But he has since become a pariah in the West, blamed for running the economy into the ground and for massive human rights abuses to keep his grip on power.

Mugabe, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, said his party ZANU-PF would choose his successor at the right time, but he had no intention of stepping down for now.

"Our members of the party will certainly select someone once I say I am now retiring, but not yet," he said in the interview.

Asked whether his party still had anything more to offer after more than three decades in power, Mugabe said ZANU-PF's signature policies remained the defence of political independence and the pursuit of black economic empowerment.

Critics say ZANU-PF has helped ruin one of Africa's most promising economies with its seizures and distribution of white-owned commercial farms, and its more recent drive to force foreign-owned firms to transfer majority shareholdings to Zimbabweans.

Mugabe has shared power with long-time foe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai over the last three years after violent and disputed elections in 2008.

Mugabe has been nominated as ZANU-PF party's candidate and intends to run in an election he wants held this year. That would be a year ahead of schedule under the power-sharing deal which also calls for a new constitution to be drawn up and approved ahead of the poll.

"It's not a secret that there is grumbling in the party over his decision to go on and on, but those seeking to succeed him are not strong enough to challenge him," said Eldred Masunungure, a political science professor at the University of Zimbabwe.

"They are stuck with him for better or worse, and the attitude in ZANU-PF appears to be - lets hope for the best," Masunungure added.

A June 2008 U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks last year said Mugabe had prostate cancer that had spread to other organs. His doctor urged him to step down in 2008, according to the cable.

Mugabe, who has ruled the southern African state since its independence from Britain in 1980, chaired a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Presidential officials said he would celebrate his birthday at a family dinner at his home in the capital Harare. ZANU-PF is planning a celebration rally in eastern Zimbabwe on Saturday. (Editing by Jon Herskovitz and Andrew Heavens)
Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe fires prosecutor Johannes Tomana.