THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has engaged
some European ambassadors seeking co-operation in efforts to identify and
repatriate offshore investments from proceeds of corruption by locals, it has
emerged.
Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo met with
ambassadors from some EU member states on Thursday last week and struck an
agreement to assist in locating properties owned by individuals involved in
corrupt activities.
Officials who attended the meeting said the ambassadors
agreed to engage their respective governments in the process.
Zacc wants all those convicted of corruption by the courts
to have their offshore investments repatriated by the state. Zacc spokesperson
John Makamure confirmed the meeting, but declined to give details.
“It is true, the chairperson met with those ambassadors,
but I cannot give you the details yet since I have not received a briefing,” he
said.
Diplomats who attended the meeting told the Zimbabwe
Independent this week that Matanda-Moyo sought assistance from the ambassadors
after the explosion of the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) corruption
scandal in which those accused of pillaging the pension fund are suspected to
have used the money to acquire real estate in Europe, particularly Britain.
“A senior UK diplomat attended a diplomatic briefing with
Zacc chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo. Any request for assistance in this regard
would go through the appropriate legal channels in the UK,” a British embassy
spokesperson said.
“There was a meeting where we were exploring how we can
co-operate in the country’s anti-corruption drive. I can say the mood was very
cooperative and we will see how their operations proceed but, basically,
everyone agreed to help where they can,” one of the diplomats said.
Sources said although Zacc had initially targeted property
in Britain said to be owned by former cabinet minister Prisca Mupfumira, who is
accused of fleecing Nssa of more than US$95 million during the time she was
Labour and Social Welfare minister, the issue had opened a can of worms as some
people living in the United Kingdom have come forward and offered to appear as
witnesses in many other cases.
As such, sources said, Zacc will now also investigate
corruption cases dating as far back as 2003.
“The chairperson met with the EU ambassadors on Thursday
last week where she sought their assistance in the forfeiture and repatriation
of those properties upon the conviction of the accused persons. In fact, the
issue is now not only limited to Nssa,” a source said.
“There are many other cases being investigated, (with some
of them) dating as far back as 2003. The investigation will also involve those
who were named in WikiLeaks files, so it has become wider and there are many
people offering to stand as witnesses.”
Matanda-Moyo requested for more time with the top British
diplomat after other diplomats had left.
The Independent also understands that Zacc has engaged a
London-based Zimbabwean national to trace some of the properties allegedly
owned by Mupfumira and others.
The investigator, who is currently checking on a company in
which Mupfumira is believed to have interests, will then be able to stand as a
witness.
The investigator has been viewing files lodged at the
Companies House and in particular with respect to a company in which one
Priscah Chidavaenzi is named as a director, sources said.
The company, Priscah C Limited, was registered on August 14
2015 in Leicester.
“What is interesting about this company is that it has a
board of directors who appointed Priscah Chidavaenzi as a director, yet there
is a small amount of funding. What are they hiding? When the agent in London
entered Mupfumira on the website, it came up with Priscah Chidavaenzi,” the
source revealed.
One of the cases on Zacc’s radar is a long-standing Grain
Marketing Board (GMB) scandal involving two businessmen accused of corruptly
exporting maize which cost the country US$26 million. Zimbabwe Independent
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