Robert Mugabe over the weekend ordered the suspension of Attorney General Sobusa Gula-Ndebele, pending investigations into charges he abused his office.Last month police arrested Gula-Ndebele after he met fugitive businessman James Mushore and allegedly promised him immunity from prosecution. Mushore, a former deputy-managing director of the National Merchant Bank, faces charges of externalising foreign currency and fled to the United Kingdom in 2004. He was arrested in October after returning to Zimbabwe.
Behind the scenes however is fierce infighting within the ruling Zanu PF party. Its alleged that Gula-Ndebele is aligned to the Zanu PF faction of retired General Solomon Mujuru and that this group wants Mugabe to step down from power. It's further alleged Mushore is a supporter of that faction and Gula-Ndebele was trying to grant immunity to him on that basis. A three-man tribunal led by Justice Chinembiri Bhunu will now investigate the matter and decide if the Attorney General should be fired. Justice Samuel Kudya and Harare lawyer Llyod Mhishi complete the panel.
The Attorney General has had repeated clashes with Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa over control of his department. Chinamasa is said to have been furious that the AG allowed former prosecutor Levison Chikafu to pursue him, for interfering with witnesses in a case involving Minister Didymus Mutasa. When Chikafu was cleared of trumped-up corruption charges Gula-Ndebele lifted the suspension, only for Chinamasa to intervene and block the move. Meanwhile Mutambara MDC Secretary General Welshman Ncube is representing Gula-Ndebele in the latest case.