PRESIDENTIAL Affairs minister Joram Gumbo was never
arrested for criminal abuse of office, but he was just being interviewed on the
goings on in parastatals which fell under his previous ministry and could be a
State witness, his lawyer Selby Hwacha claimed yesterday.
The minister was “arrested” on Monday and brought to court
on Tuesday, but did not appear before a magistrate after a call was reportedly
made to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) officers to bring him back
to the police station.
Indications were that there was an intention to press more
charges against him.
He was brought to court on allegations of corruptly
acquiring US$1 million from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to renovate a property
belonging to his relative, Mavis Gumbo on the pretext that it was meant for
rent and other expenses for Zimbabwe Airways head office.
Hwacha yesterday said his client was never arrested and was
astonished by the fuss about him appearing in court.
“Zacc officers went to his house on Friday and saw his wife
who advised them that he was in Victoria Falls. They phoned him, advising him
that they wanted to interview him and left their numbers,” Hwacha said.
“He came on Sunday earlier than his scheduled departure.
After that he advised the officers that he was in town and asked if he could
visit their office, but they told him to come on Monday around 9am. He went
there and they interviewed him and told him to go back home. Is that arrest?”
Hwacha said the following day (Tuesday) he came from his
home and was taken to court and when they appeared at the Harare Magistrates
Courts they were told to go back home.
“Why then are people saying he was arrested? What’s the
hype about him appearing in court than look on the other side that he could be
cleared of any allegations?” queried Hwacha.
“There are a lot of things which happened in parastatals
which fell under his previous ministry which they wanted to interview him on
and also other things which have been said in the media. He could be a State
witness, so he was never arrested. As his lawyer, I am waiting to hear that
there are no charges against him.”
However, sources told NewsDay that Zacc was pressing two
more charges against the minister with the anti-graft commission reportedly
searching for more details in relation to the cases.
Charges against Gumbo emanated from a US$2,7 million fuel
tender awarded to First Oil Company in 2013 and a US$1 million involving the
Zimbabwe Airways deal.
He is also accused of corruptly facilitating the award of a
US$333,3 million tender to Indrastemas and Homt Espana of South Africa for air
control equipment without following procurement procedures. Newsday
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