Deputy PG Ziyambi grilled over camps
DEPUTY Prosecutor-General Mrs Florence Ziyambi yesterday came under fire from panellists in a public interview for allegedly fanning divisions and disharmony in the National Prosecuting Authority.
Mrs Ziyambi was one of the seven candidates who were interviewed for the position of Prosecutor-General to replace Mr Johannes Tomana who was recently fired for incompetence and misconduct.
During the three-hour interview that ended around 1AM yesterday, Mrs Ziyambi had a torrid time defending herself amid allegations that she was leading one of the two camps existing in the NPA that had hampered the office’s operations.
The panellists had information that the NPA was divided into two during Mr Tomana’s time with one group aligning itself to Mrs Ziyambi and another to Mr Tomana.
However, according to the interviewers, the camps continued despite the replacement of Mr Tomana with acting PG Advocate Ray Goba.
Justice Happias Zhou, a commissioner with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) who was part of the panel, ignited the issue through a question to Mrs Ziyambi. “We understand there were divisions with the NPA with one camp being loyal to you and another to the former PG. Can you comment on that?” Mrs Ziyambi took the panel through the history of the tiff. “The former PG brought in the administrators of the NPA who were getting more fuel than that which was allocated chief law officers. A dispute arose with chief law officers unhappy about getting lesser fuel. Something happened between myself and one Colonel Siziba and I was assaulted over the fuel issue.
“I reported the assault case but the former PG declined prosecution. Some officers who were my witnesses were victimised through transfers.
“I wrote letters seeking a certificate of private prosecution and the PG refused to issue it,” said Mrs Ziyambi.
Commissioner Priscilla Madzonga chipped in: “Despite having a new Acting PG for almost a year, the disharmony where officers cannot work together continued. Why has the situation continued?”
Mrs Ziyambi insisted that the officers who used to hold administration posts as supervisors were stripped of their powers through the recruitment of military staff while some law officers were transferred, hence the disgruntlement.
Commissioner Lloyd Mhishi raised the same matter from a different angle indicating that Mrs Ziyambi had played a part in the removal from office of both Mr Tomana and his predecessor Mr Sobuza Gula-Ndebele.
Mrs Ziyambi served as Senior Public Prosecutor for Eastern Division, Director of Public Prosecution, Deputy Attorney-General (Criminal Division) and Deputy PG.
She told the panel that she was instrumental in the inception of community service, pre-trial divergent programme and the standard operating procedures.