There is controversy surrounding the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). According to reports, ZACC may have acted beyond the law when processing a case involving death threats against a former business partner. Serious questions regarding injustices have been raised by the incident, which has also resulted in charges against a ZACC Investigating Officer (IO) for allegedly bullying police, prosecutors, and magistrates while shielding prisoners.
Francesco Marconati and his son, Alessandro, were previously convicted of threatening their former business partner, Li Song, with death. Both were sentenced to perform 105 hours of community service—Francesco at Inyathi Police Station and Alessandro at Queens Mine Primary School. However, emerging details suggest that Alessandro did not perform any community service, and Francesco did not complete the mandated hours.
According to a letter sent to the Chief Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) by Li Song, Willem Adamu, the ZACC IO, allegedly accepted payment to allow the Marconatis to violate the court order. Song claims that she secured a warrant for their arrest, but overheard their lawyer reassuring them of protection from ZACC, which would prevent their arrest.
The situation escalated as Song reported that magistrates were now being threatened for issuing the arrest warrant. She highlighted a complete disregard for legal protocols, suggesting that the judiciary was under undue pressure and intimidation from Adamu. Song’s assertions point to a disturbing scenario where Adamu, acting on Francesco Marconati’s behalf, allegedly interrogated and harassed various judicial officers to influence the proceedings and outcomes of cases involving Marconati.
Adamu’s alleged actions include recording statements from the public prosecutor under duress, threatening him with arrest if he did not comply, and similarly pressuring police investigation officers involved in the case. Adamu is accused of summoning these officers to report to ZACC’s Harare office, which he reportedly uses as if it were his private office, to victimize those he is paid to target, including government officials performing their duties.
Moreover, it has been stated that Adamu’s attendance at the Harare Magistrate Court since late June is an explicit attempt to intimidate judges who are handling cases involving Francesco Marconati. The judicial management team is reported to have been extremely frightened by this violent behavior.
The implications of these actions are severe, as they not only compromise the integrity of the judiciary but also potentially defeat the course of justice. The use of ZACC’s authority to challenge or interfere with court proceedings, as alleged, stands in direct violation of the principles of judicial independence and could erode public trust in legal institutions.
Li Song’s letter makes a strong case for responsibility and emphasizes that ZACC’s authority should not be abused to thwart the administration of justice or to threaten persons participating in legal proceedings. She emphasizes that instead of using compulsion or persuasion, anyone who is unhappy with a court’s ruling has the right to appeal through the proper legal procedures.
This case emphasizes how important it is to strike a careful balance between upholding moral and legal obligations and anti-corruption initiatives. It emphasizes how important it is for all governmental and judicial actions to be transparent and accountable, especially when it comes to efforts to fight corruption.
