THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has received a raft of complaints against former Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo and is still investigating them, Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya heard yesterday.
REPORT BY SENIOR REPORTER
The details were disclosed during the cross–examination of Zacc chairman Denford Chirindo in the trial of Commissioner Emmanuel Chimwanda.
Chimwanda is accused of contravening the Official Secrets Act and criminal abuse of office after allegedly supplying dockets and information to four MDC–T officials Thabani Mpofu, Warship Dumba, Felix Matsinde and Mehluli Tshuma.
Through his lawyer Jonathan Samukange, Chimwanda described the allegations levelled against him as “malicious, vindictive and baseless” and denied committing the offence.
Although prosecutor Michael Reza alleged that Chimwanda connived with the four officials to compile criminal dockets against Attorney-General Johannes Tomana and other judicial officers, Chimwanda said by the time he was appointed a commissioner Chombo was already under investigations.
“We received several complaints and we tasked the investigation committee to investigate,” said Chirindo after he was asked about reports against Chombo. Chirindo said he was not able to give the exact number of cases, saying there were several.
An association of councillors was the first to present its own independent investigations into corruption allegations levelled against Chombo, he said. He added that the commission handed over the matter to the investigations committee.
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According to the State, the commission was investigating a fraud case involving former Harare special interest councillor Charles Nyachowe when Chimwanda allegedly requested the docket and provided the information to Mpofu, Dumba, Matsinde and Tshuma.
However, the investigating officer in the Nyachowe’s case Besten Matope said there was nothing unusual in Chimwanda requesting for the docket.
He said according to his investigations, he had found nothing incriminating against Nyachowe and had completed investigations in the case.
“So far I have found nothing incriminating Nyachowe,” he said. “I was satisfied that there was no offence committed.”
The commission’s chief investigating officer Alex Masiye, who is also a witness in the matter, said there was nothing criminal about him getting Nyachowe’s docket.
The trial continues on September 12 when the State is expected to bring in its next witness, Sukai Tongogara, who was said to be out of the country.
