Zim DRC ambassador Tomana poisoned

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Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Johannes Tomana, has died under mysterious circumstances, sparking speculation that he was poisoned.

Tomana, 55, was visiting his rural home in Honde Valley on Sunday when he suddenly fell ill after attending a funeral. He complained of severe stomach pain and died while being rushed to Harare for treatment.

His family has requested a police investigation into his death, suspecting foul play. A relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had shared their concerns with the police in Honde Valley and were informed that forensic experts were on their way from Harare.

Tomana was a former Prosecutor General who was fired in 2017 for misconduct and incompetence by former president Robert Mugabe. He had defied court orders in several cases, including one involving the abduction and disappearance of journalist and activist Itai Dzamara.

He was also accused of abusing his office by dropping charges against two men who allegedly plotted to bomb a dairy farm owned by Mugabe’s wife, Grace.

Tomana challenged his dismissal in court, but lost his case. He then tried to resume his private practice as a lawyer, but was rejected by the Law Society of Zimbabwe, which deemed him unfit and improper.

He was appointed ambassador to the DRC in 2020 by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had worked closely with him when he was vice president and justice minister.

Tomana’s death has elicited mixed reactions from Zimbabweans, with some expressing condolences and others celebrating his demise.

Ibbo Mandaza, an academic and political analyst, praised Tomana as one of the finest lawyers that Zimbabwe had produced. He said Tomana’s detour to political and diplomatic office had deprived the country of his tremendous legal skills.

Hopewell Chin’ono, a prominent journalist and critic of the government, said Tomana’s death was tragic, but also ironic. He said Tomana had been part of a system that oppressed and killed people without accountability.

“He died in the same manner that many have died under this regime that he served so loyally,” Chin’ono wrote on Twitter.

Tomana is survived by his wife, Stella, and four children.