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Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Reporter
Religious leaders and politicians have expressed concern over the protection given to “some thieves and corrupt officials” who are stealing public funds and stalling the development of the nation.

Addressing scores of people at Chishawasha Mission after a farewell mass held in honour of the late Retired Chief Justice and national hero Godfrey Chidyausiku on Friday, Roman Catholic priest Father Fidelis Mukonori questioned how such individuals were escaping arrest when evidence against them was overwhelming.

Justice Chidyausiku was buried at the National Heroes Acre on Saturday.

Father Mukonori, through prayer, sought God’s intervention to ensure that such unnamed bigwigs were brought to book.

“We have thieves moving among us scot-free when they have stolen from the Government,” he said. “We hear 15-year- olds are being arrested for possessing three buckets of soil from Chiadzwa diamond fields, but the 50-year-olds who are committing more serious offences are walking scot-free.

“Godfrey (Chidyausiku) is now gone and we pray that he will ask God to intervene and ensure the corrupt elements are arrested. I am sending him with a message to God that ‘Fide’ (short for Fidelis) asks for his intervention in that respect. If I may ask, why are they not being arrested?

“Those thieves, who are stalling development by milking the Government, must be arrested. In Zimbabwe we want the truth to come out. We want the thieves to be sent to jail. They must be punished.”

Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and other service chiefs were present when the man of the cloth breathed fire over the issue.

Also present were Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, Defence Minister Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe MP Cde Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Cde Marble Chinomoma, Goromonzi legislator Cde Beatrice Nyamupinga, Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede, judges and other Government officials.

Prof Moyo has been in the courts accused of abusing funds from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund.

Defence Minister Cde Sekeramayi weighed in: “Father Fidelis Mukonori’s prayer that God removes thieves and others who are sabotaging the economy of the country should be accepted. That message from Father Mukonori should be an- swered.”

Cde Nyamupinga said: “Those saboteurs mentioned by Father Mukonori are all over and they must surely be punished.”

Scores of the late judge’s friends, colleagues and relatives gathered at Chishawasha Mission for Justice Chidyausiku’s farewell mass.