THE secret panel appointed by Attorney General, Johannes Tomana to examine the possibility of criminal conduct by individuals named in the WikiLeaks cables is packed with lawyers connected to President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party, it can be revealed.
Tomana appointed the five-man team of “legal experts” to investigate the possibility of treasonous conduct by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and others named in the WikiLeaks documents.
The attorney general refused to name members of the team claiming this was necessary to protect their “professional integrity and … independence”.
However, it has emerged that four of the five-member team have connections with Mugabe and senior Zanu PF officials.
Terence Hussein, Simplicious Chihambakwe, Farai Mutamangira have worked for Mugabe and Zanu PF officials before while Gerald Mlotshwa is said to be related to Presidential Affairs Minister, Didymus Mutasa.
Hussein represented Mugabe in various court cases while Mutamangira has given Mines Minister Obert Mpofu legal advice at international meetings to discuss the country’s diamonds.
Chihambakwe was once appointed by Mugabe to enquire into the Gukurahundi massacres in Matabeleland and the Midlands but his report was never made public.
He is also representing Mugabe’s wife, Grace, and central bank governor, Gideon Gono in their damages claim against an independent weekly over the WikiLeaks revelations.
Meanwhile, revelation of the composition of Tomana’s panel will back critics’ claims that the attorney general is carrying out a hatchet job against Mugabe’s political rivals.
The panel is expected to present its report to Tomana in March and the attorney general has not ruled out prosecution if there was evidence of criminal conduct.
“I have asked (for) legal opinion from experts to see if I can proceed,” Tomana said recently.
“If they (Tsvangirai and his party leadership) have (committed an offence), I have an obligation to prosecute.”
The MDC-T leader is alleged, in the cables, to have privately urged Western countries to maintain sanctions against Zimbabwe while publicly backing their removal.
Another senior party official and cabinet minister, Elton Mangoma allegedly urged the US and European countries to put together a fund that would be used to bribe the country’s security services chiefs.