Chinese national Ms. Li Song has lodged a complaint against Mr. Willem Adamu, an investigation officer with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) in Bulawayo, for wrongful arrest and detention.
In a letter to ZACC Chairperson Mr. Michael Reza, Ms. Song stated that she was arrested without reasonable cause. “On May 8, 2024, after attending the State vs. Francesco Marconati case as a complainant, I was confronted by ZACC Bulawayo inspector Willem Adamu and another female ZACC officer from the Harare office as I left the Harare Magistrate’s Court around 1600 hours. Mr. Adamu aggressively blocked me and informed me I was under arrest for a cyanide case,” she said.
“I explained to him that there was no such case since the court had dismissed the false allegations by Francesco Marconati in March 2023. I requested to go to the chief prosecutor’s office to clear the issue, but Mr. Adamu refused, grabbed my arms along with the female officer, and dragged me to their car.”
Ms. Song claimed that a false story, including her pictures, was published online within 30 minutes of her arrest. At the ZACC office on Herbert Chitepo Avenue, she asked Mr. Adamu for the documents justifying her arrest, but he refused to provide them.
Ms. Song stated that Mr. Adamu did not have any documents related to her arrest until she was taken to court on May 10, 2024, after being detained for two nights. There was no warrant or supporting documents for her arrest.
“He abused his position as a ZACC investigation officer, never communicated with me or the ZIMRA officer who issued the duty rebate for chemicals our supplier Curechem applied for,” Ms. Song said. “Mr. Adamu arrested me solely on the instructions of Francesco Marconati to ‘fix’ me. I was humiliated, detained at ZACC offices for over two hours, and forced to sign a warn and caution statement without knowing the charges. He also denied my lawyer’s bail application until the next morning.”
Ms. Song is requesting that Mr. Reza thoroughly investigate Mr. Adamu and his officers for obstructing justice under Section 184(1) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act and to remove Mr. Adamu from handling any cases involving Francesco Marconati and herself.
“I also wish to formally report this conduct as it constitutes an abuse of ZACC’s arresting and investigating powers, damaging ZACC’s image.
I reserve the right to sue Mr. Adamu personally for his unlawful actions. I hope for a respectful adherence to judicial proceedings and anticipate your prompt and kind assistance,” Ms. Song concluded.
