Chivayo, accomplices flee Zimbabwe to avoid arrest over ZEC tender scandal

HARARE – Key suspects in the US$40 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) scandal, Wicknell Chivayo, Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu have been accused of fleeing the country to avoid being arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

Two key suspects in the deal have since claimed they are currently out of the country and unable to hand themselves over to ZACC investigators for interviews or arrest.

Through their lawyers, Antonio & Dzvetero Legal Practitioners, Chimombe and Mpofu notified ZACC that they are willing to cooperate fully with the investigations but are currently unavailable due to their absence from the country.

“We act for and on behalf of Messrs. Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe who have been made aware of press releases and / or advertisements in various media outlets, including print and electronic media, indicating your interest in interviewing them as part of an ongoing investigation.

“Our clients are currently out of the country and will not be able to attend any interviews until their return to Zimbabwe, however, they are willing to co-operate fully with the investigations and are available to attend any requested interviews upon their return.

“We kindly request that you notify us of any request you may have concerning this issue.

“In the meantime, kindly take note of our undertaking that we will ensure our clients’ availability,” the lawyers wrote.

The lawyers did not specify when their clients would return to Zimbabwe.

According to sources close to this publication, Chimombe and Mpofu are currently in China. Chivayo is reportedly in Dubai.

“They have literally fled the country in order to avoid being arrested. They want the dust to settle while dealing with their internal disputes and the ZACC issue,” the source said.

ZACC is investigating the corrupt deal and its beneficiaries, who allegedly received millions in taxpayers’ funds for personal gain.

ZACC chairman, Michael Reza on Monday vowed to leave no stone unturned in its investigation and has promised that there will be no “sacred cows” in its crackdown.

“I can tell you right now we have some documents which we want to show the three gentlemen and I hope I am not prejudicing investigations, but I want Zimbabwe to know that we have not been sitting on this investigation,” he said.

“We have collected certain facts and when that information comes on the form 242 and if everything goes according to plan, we will use this to go to court. You will see detailed information with facts, figures and numbers. You will see those things, mark my words.

“We know they have their rights but we have our time limit. If they don’t come, we will go after them.

“Zimbabweans should know that ZACC is not toothless. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said there are no sacred cows.

“I want Zimbabweans to know that there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption and that is the stance we have taken as ZACC,” he said.

Reza said initially, the first leaked audio lacked sufficient evidence for ZACC to pursue, but with the subsequent release of a document and another audio, substantial proof emerged, enabling ZACC to initiate a formal investigation.

The scandal has drawn in several high-profile figures, including ZEC chair Priscilla Chigumba, Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Isaac Moyo, and Chief Secretary to Cabinet Martin Rushwaya.

Chivayo, an ex-convict, is at the centre of the scandal and has been linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom he claims to have under his control.

ZACC has announced that it has found additional evidence to nail the suspects and is determined to bring them to justice.

The investigation has sparked widespread outrage and calls for accountability, with many demanding that those responsible for the corrupt deal be held accountable.