ZIMBABWE Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson
Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo and her team of commissioners have acquired firearms
for personal security amid reports that they have been receiving death threats
from unknown people over high profile graft cases under investigation.
On Friday, Justice Matanda-Moyo and the commissioners
underwent a firearms training at the Zimbabwe Republic Police shooting range at
Morris Depot in Harare before being issued with arms.
In an interview, Justice Matanda-Moyo said she personally
received incessant phone calls from members of the corruption cartels involving
cases of high profile political figures under investigation and a firearm
becomes a necessary self-defence weapon.
“I have received a number of calls from people instructing
me to drop certain cases involving political figures and other prominent
people.
“I still receive the calls with others threatening my life.
Others were trying to influence me on how ZACC should operate, particularly
telling me who should and should not be investigated,” she said.
The callers, Justice Matanda-Moyo said, complain about the
investigation of certain individuals.
Despite the threats, Justice Matanda-Moyo said, she will
soldier on and fight corruption to the end.
“As ZACC, we investigate all cases without fear or favour.
The fight against corruption is a sacrifice and there is no going back,” she
said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said Zimbabweans were peace-loving
people but a firearm was a necessary defence tool against the violent
characters.
“If someone decides to be violent he or she must be met
with self-defence that is equivalent. “Firearms become necessary for ZACC
commissioners,” she said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said all the other commissioners were
now armed after taking up the firearms training on Friday.
“Corruption is a complex issue and the moment you try to
fight cartels, they will be having their own people on the ground to harm you.
“The other commissioners have also acquired firearms for
security,” she said.
This comes at a time ZACC had fired warning shots and
arrested a number of high profile figures since the appointment of a team of
new commissioners.
ZACC revealed that it was investigating more than 200 cases
of corruption-related crimes emanating from a varied spectrum of the economy
and arrests will be effected soon.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said her Commission was out on a
mission to aggressively fight corruption and was different from other previous
bodies given that it was now headed by a judicial officer.
Speaking after her swearing in at State house in Harare
recently, Justice Matanda-Moyo vowed to thoroughly investigate all cases
without fear or favour. Herald
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