ZR Police Seek Authority To Arrest Cogen Gwasira- Chief Makoni

By Staff reporter

Zimbabwe Republic Police, Rusape central has written to the Minister of Local Government and Public works through the Permanent Secretary, seeking authority to arrest Makoni District Traditional Chief, Cogen Gwasira (Chief Makoni) for two counts of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

According to the law, the Chief is immune to arrest except if he kills or rape someone, and only after the Minister and or the president has given a go- ahead for him to be arrested or stand trial before the Judicial Court.

The letter dated May 6 2024 hasn’t been responded as yet.

The letter reads, “Member is being charged for two counts of contravening Section 1(I)(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Ch 9 “Criminal abuse of duty as a public officer. ZRP Rusape Central CR 151/01/24

The chief has been summoned by the District Court countless times for recourse after individuals applied for appeals against the ruling he would have passed at his traditional court, resulting in attachment of properties usually not worth the case. Many have raised concerns as they continue to lose their live-stocks and valuable goods to the Chief.

Meanwhile the ministry has written a letter in response to the gazette which the Government has issued in respect of the Chiefs Chikore, Chipunza, Chiduku and Tandi, who are against Chief Makoni’s claims to be the Paramount Chief of Makoni and the four Chiefs told the Post On Sunday Newspaper that, only during the colonial era when we had Paramount Chiefs.

The letter demystify the confusion and stamps that the four Chiefs are legal with their boundaries as highlighted on the maps and the gazette.