Johnson Progress

Prosecutor General Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo has declared war on corruption, warning that her office will be ruthless and uncompromising in its pursuit of justice.

Addressing delegates in Bulawayo at the National Prosecuting Authority’s Strategic Plan Review Workshop, Matanda-Moyo made it clear that Zimbabwe’s anti-graft crusade has entered a new phase, one that will leave no sacred cows standing.

“We have secured 17 convictions in high-profile corruption cases.Our resolve is best demonstrated by landmark rulings that are sending shockwaves to the corrupt.”

The Prosecutor General cited the Hurungwe Rural District Council case, where three senior officials were jailed for a combined 174 years, as a testament to her office’s commitment to justice.

“Luke Karavina and others got 70 years each for four counts, getting sentences as high as 18 and 16 years per count,” she said.

“We are not merely securing convictions, we are sending a message that the era of impunity is over.”

Matanda-Moyo emphasized that the country’s anti-corruption courts are operating with precision and purpose.

“The criminal justice delivery system frowns on corruption,” she said.

“Let me be unequivocal in the fight against corruption, there are no sacred cows,” she added.

The Prosecutor General also turned the spotlight inward, saying the NPA is purging corruption from within its own ranks.

“The conviction of Pardon Dziwa, one of our prosecutors, and the ongoing trials of others, including those here in Bulawayo, demonstrate our ironclad commitment to internal accountability,” she said.

Dziwa, a former public prosecutor, is serving an eight-year prison sentence after demanding a US$20,000 bribe from gold smuggler Henrietta Rushwaya.

Matanda-Moyo said the National Prosecuting Authority’s intensified reforms are delivering results, with a 74.2% case clearance rate achieved by the third quarter of 2025.

“We achieved a historic reduction in the backlog of murder cases through our specialised backlog elimination task force,” she said.

“The Midlands Special High Court Circuit cleared 137 out of 150 outstanding cases a 91% clearance rate with a stunning 98% conviction rate.”

Matanda-Moyo’s message is clear: the anti-graft net is tightening, and those caught in it will face the full weight of justice.