ZACC obtained a search warrant from High Court Judge Charles Hungwe to comb for evidence at the offices of Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Nicholas Goche, the Zimbabwe Mineral Corporation Board and the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board.
Armed police officers stopped the officials from carrying out the search, and later arrested several senior ZACC officials.
Speaking at a Transparency International Zimbabwe coalition against corruption dialogue in Harare last week, Gutu expressed doubts that the investigations would be revived before the elections.
“I would bet my bottom dollar that the intended high profile investigations were frustrated and swept under the carpet by top Zanu (PF) officials who think they are immune to arrests and have monopoly over corruption,” said Gutu.
He said the fight against corruption was not an easy one and that was one of the reasons why respected lawyers and judges like Hungwe were being publicly ridiculed in the state media.
There are fears that the hornet’s nest that Hungwe stirred could lead to a setting up of a tribunal to remove him from the bench. Public opinion suggests that Hungwe was being ‘victimised’ for granting the search warrant to search high offices, previously regarded as untouchable, for possible evidence regarding corruption.
Following the search attempt, the chief executive of the commission, Ngonidzashe Gumbo, and Commissioner Emmanuel Chimwanda were arrested for ‘offences’ allegedly committed some years ago.
“ZACC members are people of integrity and some elements in the ruling system wish them out since they want a weak and window dressing type of commission which would masquerade as an anti-corruption commission. Zanu (PF) wants a judiciary that cannot stand up to justice. We must do something about the way we deal with institutions dealing with corruption as they need free space to carry out their mandate,” said Gutu.
He said corruption in Zimbabwe was not being dealt with adequately and admitted that it cut across the political divide, though it remained less prevalent in MDC than in Zanu (PF) ‘which bred and nurtured it up until the GNU’.
Participants at the anti-corruption dialogue said the majority of people had lost faith in government’s capacity and willingness to fight corruption.
Post published in: News