The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) yesterday
descended on Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to investigate allegations that
incarcerated former Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Priscah Mupfumira
is getting preferential treatment.
Mupfumira’s lawyer, Charles Chinyama, confirmed that three
Zacc commissioners were at Chikurubi to investigate the conditions under which
the former top Zanu PF official was being held.
“I confirm the presence at Chikurubi Female Prison of two
commissioners known to me from Zacc this afternoon,” he said.
“They indicated that their intention was to investigate
whether my client was being given preferential treatment ahead of other female
prisoners, but after talking to them, they drove off.”
He said Zacc commissioners Jessie Majome, Frank Muchengwa
and Kuziva Murapa requested to visit the prison cells, but he was not sure if
the request was
granted.
“I can’t comment on whether or not their request to access
female prison holding cells was granted, that is an issue which falls within
the domain of the Prisons Act and I am not qualified to comment,” Chinyama
added.
However, Majome said they were denied access and were told
to write an advance letter requesting access to the institution.
“We could not access it and were advised to write a letter
so that we can fully assess the circumstances under which she is living
generally,” she said.
The visit follows an uproar on social media over pictures
of a neatly dressed Mupfumira going to the Harare magistrates’ court with a
prison officer holding her handbag, which Majome said they had an obligation to
follow up.
“We are concerned about the reports from the media (of
preferential treatment) and we have an obligation to investigate,” said Majome.
Mupfumira is languishing in remand prison after she was
denied bail by both the agistrates’ Court and High Court after her arrest on
allegations of swindling the National Social Security Authority of more than US$95
million.
However, her Zanu PF allies claimed the visit by Zacc
showed that she was being targeted for persecution. Standard
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