The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has allegedly been sitting on a dossier implicating former Labour and Social Welfare minister in the siphoning of public funds for over two years amid claims that she was untouchable.
Petronella Kagonye was arrested by the Special
Anti-Corruption Unit in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office over alleged
illegal land sales in Mashonaland East and Harare. She was released on $30 000
bail on Monday after spending a night in custody.
Zacc insiders said the former minister should have been
arrested a long time ago over the alleged pilfering of US$400 000 from the
National Social Security Authority (NSSA), but was being shielded from
prosecution by a relative at the anti-graft body.
Kagonye allegedly used the money to fund her election
campaign before she was booted out two years ago.
The dossier was based on revelations made by former NSSA
board chairperson Robin Vela in court papers where he was challenging a
forensic audit by BDO Zimbabwe Chartered Accountants. Vela had been implicated
in alleged massive plunder at NSSA during his reign.
The former NSSA boss successfully challenged the BDO report
at the High Court. Kagonye is accused of using associates at Zacc to shield
herself from arrest on allegations of abusing resources at the state pension
fund.
“A case of abuse of office when she was Labour minister was
opened with Zacc, but because she has a relative linked to the husband (name
supplied), it has been difficult to pursue this issue,” said a source at Zacc.
Zacc spokesperson John Makamure said he needed time to
check investigations into the NSSA cases before the commission.
“I need time to look at those issues, I will come back to
you,” Makamure said. Vela, in an affidavit, revealed that Kagonye took a
staggering US$400 000 from the state pensions body to fund her election
campaign.
“I must point out that the report makes no mention of the
fact that minister Kagonye forced NSSA to ‘sponsor’ to the tune of US$200 000 a
disability conference in her Caledonia constituency and a further sum of US$200
000 to a school in Ruwa immediately prior to the July 2018 elections,” he said
in the affidavit.
“Involved in this were the minister Kagonye, the permanent
secretary Ngoni Masoka, then principal director now permanent secretary in the
ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
“This vote-buying done through pensioners’ funds for
private benefit is not mentioned! “Is it because the auditors had a wider
political audience to satisfy or otherwise not offend?”
Kagonye also allegedly ordered that Lameck Danga be
appointed the National Building Society’s boss, despite the fact that he had
come second during interviews. Standard
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