The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) refused to cooperate with the government of Zimbabwe in its bid to have Robert Mugabe-era cabinet Ministers arrested and extradited.
Walter Mzembi and former ZANU PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere are facing various criminal charges back home.
According to ZimLive, the Zimbabwean government’s request was dismissed by Interpol after it sought for the arrest and extradition of Kasukuwere.
In a letter to Harare authorities, seen by the publication, Interpol said all requests for placement of an individual on a red notice are forwarded to its Notices and Diffusions Task Force to ensure that they comply with the organisation’s constitution and rules, in particular, Article 3. The Clause makes it clear that:
… it is strictly forbidden for the organisation to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military or racial character.
Following the government’s request to have Kasukuwere apprehended in May, the organisation wrote that it considered:
… the status of the person, the nature of the offence, the general context of the case and the implications for the neutrality of the organisation.
… Given the above and taking into account the neutrality of the organisation, it is considered that the request may engage the organisation in matters, which would bring into question its neutrality according to article 3 of Interpol’s constitution.
As a result, the General Secretariat is not in a position to publish the red notice against Mr Kasukuwere and the information concerning the individual will be deleted from Interpol’s databases.
Besides Mzembi and Kasukuwere, some high profile individuals who served in the Mugabe administration and are now out of the country include Jonathan Moyo, Godfrey Gandawa, Walter Chidhakwa, Mandi Chimene and Patrick Zhuwao, the former police chief Augustine Chihuri and former intelligence chief Happyton Bonyongwe.
They are all considered to have been aligned to the G40 faction which was weakened following former President Mugabe’s “resignation”.
More: ZimLive