‘Criminals around Mnangagwa flourishing’ four years after military coup

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Politics |

When President Emmerson Mnangagwa dethroned his predecessor Robert Mugabe, his military coup associates claimed that they were targeting criminals around the late former President. But four years down the line, the opposition notes that criminals are actually increasing around the current leadership.

MDC Alliance Treasurer General David Coltart remembered the coup diaries when Mnangagwa’s right hand man captured the country’s only television, ZBC and told the whole nation that the military takeover, partly described as a coup, was “only targeting criminals around Mugabe”.

Noting the frequent acquittal of Zanu PF officials accused of corruption under Mnangagwa’s administration, the former Education minister said corruption was taking a toll in government.

“When SB Moyo appeared on @ZBCNewsonline on the night of the coup which overthrew Mugabe he said their primary motive was to deal with the corrupt people surrounding Mugabe. 4 years on not one big fish has been convicted; not one is in prison. Indeed corruption is flourishing,” he said.

Recently, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) failed to find any evidence linking former minister Ignatius Chombo to the six criminal charges he was facing resulting in all his cases collapsing.

Yesterday, Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo who was charged with corruption over illegally awarding a multi-million-dollar contract for medical equipment to a shadowy company Drax International was acquitted by the High Court.

Last year this time, former Information Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira was acquitted on a charge of criminal abuse of office, more than two years after his arrest.

Mandiwanzira was charged with “unprocedurally seconding” his personal assistant Tawanda Chinembiri a government employee at deputy director level – to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) board without following due process.

Last week, magistrate Ngoni Nduna cleared Wicknell Chivayo and his company, Intratrek Zimbabwe on allegations of bribing former Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) ex-board chairman Stanley Kazhanje US$10 000 to influence the award of the controversial Gwanda Solar Project.

Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono posted on Twitter that “Under Emmerson Mnangagwa; Ignatius Chombo Acquitted, Supa Mandiwanzira Acquitted, Wicknell Chivayo Acquitted, Obadiah Moyo Acquitted, Delish Nguwaya ‘Acquitted’

“These charges were framed in a way that the court cases fail because the system has been captured by the looters!” Nehanda Radio