ZACC says Moyo personally benefited from ZIMDEF loot

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on Thursday told journalists at a media briefing in Harare that Jonathan Moyo, the Higher and Tertiary Education minister, benefited personally from funds looted from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF).

ZACC accuses Moyo of participating in the looting of more than $400,000 from ZIMDEF, an entity that falls under his ministry and is meant to develop students’ skills.

Moyo has not denied looting the fund, but claimed most of the money went towards financing Zanu PF events, in addition to buying bicycles for his constituency.

Goodson Nguni who is in charge of ZACC investigations said Moyo and his deputy, Godfrey Gandawa, were using ZIMDEF as a personal bank, adding that his commission had documents to prove that.

Nguni charged that the money was used to pay for the accommodation of the ministers’ lovers, some female journalists and personal business premises and none went to the ruling Zanu PF.

“The public has been bombarded with lies, half-truths and complete fabrications by people who are facing charges of fraud, abuse of office, money laundering arising out of violation of the National Manpower Development Act,” said Nguni.

“I am aware that investigations have obtained, legally, all source documents relating to the release of ZIMDEF funds and followed the paper and money trail from ZIMDEF to the final destination of the monies paid out by ZIMDEF,” said Nguni.

He added: “No monies from ZIMDEF benefited any political party. All monies paid out have been traced to the personal benefit of Moyo, Dr Gandawa, Mr Hozheri and Mr Maputse assisted these actions. The monies from ZIMDEFf were used to pay for personal furniture, bicycles and payment of loans owed by persons who may be charged.”

He reported that Gandawa obtained a $70, 000 loan while thousands of dollars were withdrawn by the deputy minister’s personal assistant.

“Thousands were paid out to finance personal business interest of the officials in the Higher and Tertiary ministry. Thousands of dollars were paid to finance purchases of personal companies of these officials to supply goods of the universities including ZOU (Zimbabwe Open University) and Great Zimbabwe,” said Nguni.

“We legally obtained bank statements and all source documents and would like to confirm that contrary to what the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education is saying in the media, no benefit from ZIMDEF funds in respect of our investigations have benefitted any political party or been used for that purpose.

The ZIMDEF chief executive officer, Fredrick Mandizvidza, was recently arrested and taken to court on fraud and is currently on bail, but he insists all the transactions were done on Moyo’s orders. Nehanda Radio