
Zacc sources told The Sunday Mail that there was reasonable
suspicion the two pampered themselves with money illegally acquired during
their stints in Government. Anti-graft agents are also onto former Secretary
for Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor
Francis Gudyanga for allegedly siphoning US$230 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower
Development Fund.
Prof Gudyanga is already in remand prison on separate
charges of corruption and abuse of office stemming from his time as Secretary
for Mines and Mining Development. He allegedly dissolved the Minerals Marketing
Corporation of Zimbabwe board in December 2013 and assumed the chairmanship
until September 2016.
It is alleged he corruptly received board fees and sitting
allowances totalling US$28 910 in contravention of the MMCZ Act (Chapter 21:04)
which says a board comprises at least six members and a maximum of 10.
MMCZ, according to the State, did not have a board at the
time, meaning the money was not due to him. The Sunday Mail understands
investigators suspect Prof Gudyanga colluded with Mr Chidhakwa, who was Mines
and Mining Development Minister at the time.
Zacc is reportedly also interested in a case in which Mr
Chidhakwa allegedly used his influence to unlawfully grant tax exmeption to a
mining firm, which then made a hefty payment to an organisation linked to the
former minister.
Dr Mzembi’s alleged abuse of office relates to vehicles he
got during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly which
Zimbabwe and Zambia co-hosted in 2013.
Dr Mzembi, who was Tourism and Hospitality Industry
Minister then, also allegedly awarded contracts to his wife, Barbara, without
going to tender.
In his latest case, Prof Gudyanga is accused of routing
US$230 000 from Zimdef to a teacher training college in Harare and then to
Tsholotsho Rural District Council under dubious circumstances. Sources said the
council rejected the money because it did not understand the legality of its
origins.
Contacted for comment, Zacc principal public relations
officer Ms Phyllis Chikandura said: “I am away on leave, so I’m not aware of
anything like that.” However, our sources described the cases against the two
ex-ministers as “solid”.
“Chidhakwa is suspected to have been complicit in allowing
Prof Gudyanga to run a one-man MMCZ board for a considerable period . . . He
also used his powers to offer tax exemption, which he is believed to have
arranged with the company in question. The same company was also involved in
suspicious projects that involved Chidhakwa.
“There are other charges of some dealings that were taking
place at the Ministry of Mines, which Chidhakwa needs to answer to,” one source
said.
Another added: “(In the Dr Mzembi) case, cars were
purchased during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly
but were later converted to personal ownership. There were also contracts that
did not go to tender and were given to Mzembi’s wife.
“And Zimdef is also being investigated for shelling out
tens of thousands of dollars to Manicaland and Marondera state universities
when the two institutions were, in fact, not in existence.”
Corruption is one of the negatives weighing down Zimbabwe’s
economy, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed to crack down on it. Former
Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo was recently arrested for corruption and abuse
of office.
He allegedly connived with Psychology Chiwanga, R
Pazvakavambwa, Iben Fransisco, James Chiyangwa, Theresa Chenjerayi, Elias Choto
and L Chimimba to forge documents to transfer a Glen Lorne, Harare property
from the Harare City Council to one Alois Chimeri.
He allegedly committed the offence during his stint as
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister. Chombo is also
accused of using his influence as Local Government Minister to arm twist the
Harare City Council to allocate him residential stand Number 61 Helensvale,
Harare which measures 193 716 square metres.
It is alleged he developed cluster houses on the land.
Initially, the City of Harare had asked Chombo to use the land for recreational
purposes, but he allegedly took the land for himself through Harvest-Net
Enterprises, a company he co-directed then. Chombo is out of custody on bail. Sunday Mail
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