MATABELELAND SOUTH senator Watchy Sibanda has again taken Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa to task about an unrepentant Matobo rapist who was pardoned by President Robert Mugabe and is now allegedly bragging about his release.
STAFF REPORTER
The rapist identified as Jaison Gaba Dube is now allegedly threatening villagers with unspecified action for causing his arrest after he was pardoned early this year.
Sibanda in April asked Mnangwagwa to explain why the rapist was included in the amnesty.
The MDC-T legislator last week told Senate he was asked to submit a complaint to Mnangwa’s deputy Fortune Chasi, but he had not received any help since then.
Mnangagwa was at pains to skirt around the question, saying it should be directed to the Home Affairs ministry.
“I do not know about these rapists and if it is a specific case, before it comes to us, it is dealt with by the department of Home Affairs,” he told Senate.
“Their mandate is to keep law and order in the country.
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“They will make arrests and then they will hand over to the judicial system which comes under my portfolio.
“However, I am not very clear about the question in terms of the information you were trying to seek.
“If there is a specific question, we would require you to refer the issue to Home Affairs or judiciary and get the facts.”
When he was told that Chasi had been given information about the rapist, Mnangagwa spoke about his confidence in the deputy minister.
“Fortunately, I had already pleaded ignorance and that I am slow in understanding,” the minister said.
“So you can see that I answered a question which has not been asked. I am human.
“You have said that it was my deputy. It is true that there is collective responsibility, but my deputy is my deputy and I am a substantive minister.
“I have no doubt, I have extreme faith in my deputy and I have confidence in him.
“If he promised that he is going to provide you with an answer, I will remind him.
“However, I have no doubt that he is a very competent Member of Parliament, a lawyer by profession, young man with ambitions, so this is an opportunity for him to show that he can research and provide answers.”
Sibanda in April told Senate that Dube was convicted for raping his 12-year-old niece.
He was released together with other 2 999 prisoners granted amnesty by Mugabe.
Sibanda told Southern Eye that he is related to Dube. He said the rape incident came to light after the girl fell pregnant.
Prisoners who committed murder, rape, treason, carjacking, armed robbery and stocktheft were excluded from the amnesty.
