More arrests coming: Zacc

By Blessed Mhlanga | NewsDay |

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has warned of more shock arrests, declaring that nobody will be spared in the effort to root out endemic graft costing the country billions of dollars.

Speaking in a no-holds barred one-on-one interview on Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) platform In Conversations with Trevor, which will be broadcast this afternoon on HStv, Zacc chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said there would be more shock arrests, especially in connection with the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) forensic audit report which has already claimed the scalp of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Priscah Mupfumira.

“From the NSSA report, more people are going to be arrested. Of course, I am not going to tell you the names of the people because I am bound by ethics, but arrest, we want to be sure that the persons are likely guilty. We don’t want to harass people who are innocent,” she said.

Mupfumira’s arrest came at a time Zimbabwe has witnessed top government officials being arrested and released, while their cases crumbled thereafter in what has been dubbed the “catch-and-release” season.

However, Matanda-Moyo said her team was doing things differently, promising that there will be no “catch-and-release” during her tenure because of tight investigations.

“No catch-and-release, and I promise the nation that. I have insisted in thorough investigations. The investigation department will investigate the matter. Before it goes anywhere, it’s vetted by our legal department here. Then the legal department looks at all the other elements of the case, whether they have been proven through the evidence in the docket,” she said.

“Once they are satisfied, that docket will be taken to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Again, at the NPA before the docket is taken to court, they also look at the evidence and if they feel that there is anything missing, they refer it back for investigation. That is the system we have put in place. That is the end of catch-and-release.”

Speaking tough, Matanda-Moyo said chances of getting a conviction against Mupfumira were high because Zacc was building a “rock-solid case”.

“According to us, the evidence that we are getting will be enough to secure a conviction, although we can’t go into details of the matter because the matter is sub judice,” she said.

The Zacc chairperson read the riot act against the Zanu PF youth league, warning them to stop grandstanding and holding Press conferences in the name of fighting corruption.

“That kind of behaviour doesn’t help anybody. As I have said in my Press statements, you cannot deal with corruption at a Press conference. Allegations of corruption must involve evidence,” Matanda-Moyo said.

“It’s not about tarnishing people’s names. People have got rights too. So, if you don’t have evidence against anyone, there is no reason (to hold) a Press statement and then list people as corrupt. As Zacc, we do not support that. We actually call upon everyone who has allegations of corruption to report the matters for proper investigation and not to go about at a press conference.”

She warned that Zacc would crack the whip if the Zanu PF youth league continued its “naming and shaming” of alleged corrupt people without providing evidence.

“We have called those people to come forward with the evidence they have. So, far they have not come forward with the evidence and if they continue, we will be forced to take action as Zacc,” the Zacc boss warned.

“We don’t want to look like we are following somebody’s script. To me, it looks like they are actually trying to frustrate our work as Zacc and I am not impressed by that at all.”

In Conversations with Trevor is a weekly show hosted by AMH chairman Trevor Ncube and currently running on HStv and all other AMH digital platforms.

One show, in a month, is recorded in front of a live audience. Three shows are recorded in studio or offices or homes of interviewees. It is non-partisan and will cover all political views and opinions.

The next In Conversations with Trevor, to be recorded in front of a live audience, will be tomorrow, and the guest is Energy and Power Development minister Fortune Chasi.