PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has fired prosecutor general Johannes Tomana.
Ray Goba was last year appointed acting prosecutor general following the suspension of Tomana last July when he was also twice arrested for abuse of office.
Tomana was first put in the dock last February after dropping charges against men accused of plotting to bomb a dairy company belonging to the First Family.
He was arrested again in July of the same year for criminal abuse of office in cases dating back to 2009.
Mugabe acted on the recommendations of a tribunal he established to investigate the prosecutor general on charges of misconduct and incompetence.
Virginia Mabhiza, permanent secretary for the justice ministry, confirmed Tomana’s dismissal in the Government Gazette Friday.
“It is hereby notified that … the President has received the report of the tribunal appointed … to inquire into the question of removing the Prosecution General Johannes Tomana, from office for incompetence and misconduct,” said Mabhiza.
“In that report, the tribunal has advised … the President ought to be removed from office for incompetence and misconduct.
“Accordingly, the Prosecutor General is removed from office with effect from the date of publication of this notice.”
The charges against Tomana relate to his refusal to prosecute some high-profile cases and defying court orders to allow private prosecution.
One of the cases involved for senior Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe staffer and ruling Zanu PF legislator Munyaradzi Kereke who was accused of raping a niece.
Kereke was later prosecuted privately after the intervention of the country’s top court and subsequently jailed after being convicted for rape.
Tomana also defied a court order to allow the private prosecution of Harare businesswoman Jane Mutasa by mobile phone company Telecel Zimbabwe.
