In a joint operation with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
(Zimra), ZACC through its investigations department has since engaged in
“Operation No to Abuse of Civil Servants Rebate Scheme”.
In 2019, the Government introduced the civil servants motor
vehicle rebate scheme which is governed by Statutory Instrument 52 of 2019 of
Customs and Exercise [General] [Amendment] Regulations, 2019 in which civil
servants who had served in the civil service for 10 years and above were
allowed to import motor vehicles up to a specific value for each employment
grade without paying import duty.
In her last interview prior to her new appointment as
Zimbabwe’s Prosecutor-General, former ZACC chairperson Justice Loice
Matanda-Moyo told The Herald that due processes were being followed in the
conviction-based forfeiture of the vehicles.
In addition, Justice Matanda-Moyo said ZACC had instituted
measures to recover funds, land and immovable properties that were acquired by
public entities and local authorities through unprocedural means.
She said the entities had already been highlighted in the
Auditor General’s report.
“Working jointly with ZIMRA, ZACC through its
investigations department has also engaged in ‘Operation No to Abuse of Civil
Servants Rebate Scheme’. The operation anticipates conviction-based forfeiture
of about 2 000 vehicles which were acquired through the abuse of the civil
servants’ rebate scheme.
“The Commission, through the Compliance and Systems Review
Unit and AFRU has also facilitated administrative recovery measures for public
entities and local authorities wherein assets like funds, land and immovable
properties were unprocedurally parcelled out.
“These entities were flagged in the Auditor General’s
Report. This process has managed to plug and reverse leakages of revenue back
to the public purse,” she said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said the anti-graft body was confident
of achieving its target of seizing US$1 billion worth of illegally acquired
wealth.
To this end, she said, ZACC was confident of seizing assets
worth US$700 million by the end of the year.
“ZACC is confident that ill-gotten proceeds of crime of
more than US$1 billion are out there and will be recovered. The Commission has
made tremendous strides through domestic and regional cooperation.
“Case files for asset recovery and forfeiture have been
referred to the courts through the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Unit (AFRU).
“ZACC set targets for recoveries and consolidation is
ongoing. However, indications from the internal monitoring system are that the
commission is on course to achieving over 70 percent target.
“Statistics and figures will be released at the end of the
year,” she said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said ZACC had also achieved a 77
percent conviction rate in cases referred to the National Prosecuting
Authority, a five percent increase from last year’s conviction rate of 72
percent.
However, she said, the Commission remained hopeful that it
would secure more convictions by the end of the year.
“From the cases referred to the NPA, ZACC has this far
achieved a 77 percent conviction rate. This is a five percent improvement from
the 72 percent conviction rate recorded in 2022.
“The Commission remains optimistic of securing more
convictions in the last quarter of 2023,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo. Herald
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