FORMER Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s arrest increasingly seems inevitable, but political analysts warn it will be nothing more than a face saver for President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace, who openly accused her of corruption among a number of vices.
STAFF REPORTER More than three months after Grace first accused Mujuru of extortion and corruption and about a month after she was deposed, the police are still yet to charge Mujuru and analysts feel the charges may die a natural death, just as a number of similar high-profile cases.
Bulawayo-based political analyst, Godwin Phiri, yesterday said it was possible for Mujuru to be arrested, but that would be done to appease her detractors, more than it would be about serving justice.
“I think at some point she will be arrested more as a face saver to those who accused her,” he said.
“The charges will, likely not last long, as it is possible that along the way they would be dropped.”
Phiri speculated that in the event Mujuru was arrested, charges would be dropped in court and the former vice-president would not see the inside of a jail cell.
Human rights activist, Dewa Mavhinga, said they might be substance in allegations of corruption against Mujuru, but they were being raised primarily to settle political scores rather than in pursuit of a genuine anti-corruption drive.
“It seems the corruption issue is like the Sword of Damocles that dangles above Mujuru’s head to prevent her from seeking a political home outside Zanu PF, it is likely that if she remains quiet in Zanu PF, the corruption charges might just die a natural death eventually,” he said.
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“But if she dares challenge Zanu PF politically, then she might be risking arrest and prosecution on corruption and other charges.”
Former journalist and political analyst, Methuseli Moyo, said he thought the allegations were nothing, but political games to ensure Mujuru was silenced.
“We are told she, in fact, wanted to kill or topple the president, but there has been no action,” he said.
Civil rights activist, Geneva Sibanda, said authorities had a history of arresting high-profile people, but the cases were never finalised.
“We had legislators who were accused of embezzling the Constituency Development Fund and as the nation waited to see the law taking its course, nothing happened and the matter died a natural death,” he said.
“This might have been a political move to get rid of Mujuru from the vice-presidency, now that it has been achieved it would be pointless to continue kicking someone who is down.”
Police have already investigated a number of companies they believe are connected to Mujuru, including Chicken Slice and Daily News.
Grace accused Mujuru of having 10% in all the companies in the country, which she had grabbed through extortion and bullying.
Mujuru has denied all allegations against her, saying the effort spent on investigating her was a waste of time and should be directed at healing the country’s comatose economy.
