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Daniel Nemukuyu Investigations Editor
At least 178 convicted criminals out on bail, whose appeals were thrown out by the High Court in May this year, are still walking free as police are struggling to apprehend them for committal to prison.

Since June when warrants of arrest were issued against 179 convicts, police have managed to arrest only one.

The others are unlawfully enjoying freedom when they are supposed to be serving their prison terms.

Between May and early June this year, the High Court dismissed about 1 000 criminal appeals after a files audit meant to clear the system of abandoned appeals.

Of the 1 000 convicts, it turned out that a good number had abandoned their appeals and had served their sentences while others had just filed appeals while serving their sentences. But there were a group, on bail pending appeal, who had disappeared.

The courts countrywide, ended up issuing out warrants of arrest in respect of the 179 convicts who were on bail pending appeal.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi attributed the delay to some communication breakdown between the police and the courts.

“It appears like there is a communication breakdown between the police and the Judicial Service Commission and we are trying to address that anomaly and ensure the arrest of the convicts,” he said.

According to the statistics, 769 appeals from Harare province were dismissed by the High Court but 51 warrants of arrest were issued. Of the 51, police managed to arrest one convict.

Of the 133 appeals dismissed recorded in Mashonaland Central, 25 warrants were issued and the police did not arrest any.

Masvingo recorded 65 dismissed criminal appeals and 47 convicts were issued with warrants of arrest. None were arrested.

In Mashonaland East, 17 convicted criminals were issued with warrants of arrest but none were arrested.

Out of 15 warrants issued against convicts in Midlands, none were executed.

In Matabeleland South there were 12 warrents and in Mashonaland West seven, but none were executed.

Four criminals were issued with warrants of arrest in Manicaland while one got a warrant in Matabeleland North but no arrests were effected.

Security expert and private investigator Mr Brian Kashangura of Vandrift Security Services attributed the delay in apprehending the criminals to poor communication between the police and the courts.

Mr Kashangura said failure to properly keep records and follow up on cases also contributed to the delay.

“There must be effective and efficient sharing of data between the judiciary and the security agencies. For example, if an officer dealing a particular matter retires or leaves the service, there is no proper handover and takeover of such cases to enable continuity and follow up,” he said.

Mr Kashangura also cited lack of resources as another challenge. “Police at times do not have adequate resources to enable them to track the wanted criminals. They are incapacitated to make follow ups on the criminals, some who could have sought refuge in neighbouring countries,” he said.

Mr Kashangura said police should use Interpol services in tracking those who would have skipped the borders.

Harare lawyer Mr Wellington Pasipanodya of Manase & Manase Legal Practitioners said the police should now embrace technology and use mainstream and social media in hunting down criminals. Police could even publish their names and pictures Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, which are cheaper means of communication.

“The first step in catching the criminals on outstanding warrants of arrest is for the law enforcement agents to embrace ICT, which is a tool that has a far wider reach to the public.

“The police must publish on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp groups and even in the daily newspapers the names of the wanted persons with outstanding warrants of arrest.

“Additionally, they can also publish the pictures showing the convicts’ faces so that they can be easily identified and be flushed out.

“They can also incentivise their efforts by working with the corporate community in offering monetary rewards for information leading to the successful apprehension of wanted criminals,” he said.

Mr Pasipanodya said police officers should be given more vehicles, fuel and other resources to help tracking down criminals.