On September 20, President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed members to the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC), naming former judge Webster Nicholas Chinamora as its chairperson.
Chinamora’s selection has stirred controversy, given his resignation last year following a probe into alleged judicial misconduct.
Chinamora had been under investigation by a tribunal, established after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) raised concerns about his conduct.
He was accused by Balwearie Holdings (Pvt) Limited of collaborating with a lawyer to issue a ruling in a case that was never heard in court. Despite initial delays, Mnangagwa eventually set up the tribunal after legal threats from attorneys.
Justice Ahamed Moosa Ebrahim later replaced the original tribunal chair, retired judge Moses Chinhengo, for reasons that were not disclosed. However, Chinamora’s resignation ended the investigation, rendering the tribunal unnecessary.
Chinamora will be joined on the commission by Elizabeth Rutsate, Andrew Mataruse, and former ZANU PF MP Oliver Mandipaka, who also served as a senior police officer. The ZICC is tasked with investigating misconduct complaints against members of the security services, including the police, military, intelligence, and prison services.
In a statement after his swearing-in, Chinamora emphasized that the commission’s role is not to undermine the judiciary or other existing bodies but to focus on complaints specific to security service personnel. He noted that the commission would refer cases already being addressed by courts or other commissions back to those entities.
Critics, however, argue that Chinamora’s appointment, following his resignation amid corruption allegations, along with the inclusion of a former ruling party MP, casts doubt on the commission’s impartiality and effectiveness.
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