Prominent Marondera businessman, Francisco Marconati has accused the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Central Investigation Department (CID) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of unfair treatment stating that despite providing clear evidence in cases he reported against his former business partner, he has faced repeated arrests on fabricated charges without proper action being taken by the authorities.
In a letter addressed to Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga, Marconati expressed his grievances regarding the conduct of certain police officers involved in his cases.
Marconati asserts that his former business partner, Li Song, is responsible for externalizing millions of United States dollars to offshore accounts, thereby harming the Zimbabwean economy. He alleges that despite possessing compelling evidence, law enforcement officials have been hesitant to pursue legal action against Song.
“In January of this year, I reported attempted murder allegations against Song at Dornington Police Station under case number CR43/01/24. However, despite obtaining warned and cautioned statements from the accused and witnesses, the investigating officers have failed to progress the case to court,” Marconati stated in his letter to Commissioner General Matanga.
Furthermore, Marconati detailed his attempts to escalate the matter to higher authorities due to concerns over his safety and the integrity of the investigation. He requested for the case to be transferred to CID Homicide Harare, citing fears of interference and influence from individuals associated with the accused.
Despite his efforts, Marconati claims that the officer in charge at Dornington Police Station insisted on handling the case internally, assigning it to Detective Gadzai.
Apart from the attempted murder allegations, Marconati disclosed that Li Song is also implicated in cases of money laundering and fraud, including the misappropriation of over US$2 million from their company. Despite filing reports, he laments the lack of progress in these matters.
Marconati further accuses the NPA of delaying the scheduling of trial dates for the cases he has reported, citing unsubstantiated reasons for the delays.
This isn’t the first time Marconati has faced challenges in seeking justice. Last year, he took legal action against CID officials, including Jealous Nyabasa, for their failure to bring his cases to court. Although the dockets were eventually presented in court, Marconati alleges that the NPA refused to proceed with the prosecutions, raising concerns of external interference.
