An inter-ministerial task force on smuggling recently uncovered 150 bags of 50kg fertiliser and seeds from the Presidential Inputs Scheme at a house in Queensdale Suburb, Bulawayo. The fertiliser, intended to support farmers, was allegedly being sold illegally.
<a href="https://cite.org.zw/presidential-farming-inputs-found-in-byo-smuggling-bust/#Asakhe">CITE</a> reported sources within the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force as saying the fertiliser was discovered after a tip-off. Said a source:
<blockquote>
On December 27, 2024, at around 9 am, while on duty, we arrived at No. 15 Connolly Road, Queensdale, acting on a tip-off about suspected smuggled goods.
Instead of finding contraband, we discovered large quantities of fertiliser resembling those from the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
</blockquote>
The house owner, Wallace Mapiye (40), denied ownership of the fertiliser and implicated Edgar Bhiri (28) of Njube as the person responsible. Mapiye then led the task force to Bhiri, who was intercepted en route to a church in Emganwini.
Bhiri admitted to delivering the fertiliser to Mapiye’s home and claimed to have obtained the goods from Tawanda Sibanda (56) of Mpopoma. He also alleged that he was instructed to sell the products and receive a share of the proceeds.
The task force subsequently located Sibanda at his residence, where he was apprehended. During questioning, Sibanda revealed that he had received the fertiliser from a woman identified only as Yvonne, an extension officer, whose contact information was shared with authorities.
Sibanda allegedly admitted to receiving 150 bags of 50kg compound D fertilizer for sale and assigned Bhiri to handle the transactions.
All three suspects—Mapiye, Bhiri, and Sibanda—were taken to ZRP Queensdale. An official report was filed, and the case was referred to the police anti-corruption unit.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

150 bags of presidential fertiliser and seeds were found hidden at a house in Bulawayo. The fertiliser, meant for farmers, was being sold illegally. The owner of the house denied owning the fertiliser and accused someone else of being responsible. The person then led authorities to another person involved. The authorities found out that the fertiliser was received from a woman named Yvonne, who is an extension officer. The suspects were taken to ZRP Queensdale, and the case was referred to the police anti-corruption unit.

Stolen 150 Bags Of Presidential Fertiliser Found Hidden At Bulawayo House

Chiredzi Town Council (CTC) Housing and Community Services Director, Emily Paradzai (55), is facing a criminal abuse of office charge for the alleged double allocation of a residential stand.
As reported by <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/chiredzi-tc-housing-director-arrested/">The Mirror</a>, Paradzai, who resides at house number 17 Impala Road, Chiredzi, appeared before Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu last week.
She was charged with Criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined under Section 174 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 09:23).
Magistrate Zuyu remanded Paradzai out of custody to a later date for the continuation of the trial.
The case dates back to the period from April 26, 2023, to January 3, 2024, during which Paradzai allegedly sold or facilitated the sale of stand number 10547 Melbourne Park, Chiredzi, to Arnold Mpofu. The stand had previously been allocated to Lazarus Chanakira Duku.
The issue came to light when Duku visited the local authority’s offices to inquire before starting construction and was informed that the stand belonged to Mpofu.
Duku subsequently filed a police report, leading to Paradzai’s arrest.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

A lady named Emily Paradzai from Chiredzi Town Council has been arrested for giving a residential stand to two different people. She is in trouble for not doing her job properly. The case started from April 26, 2023, to January 3, 2024 when she gave the same stand to two different people. When one of them wanted to build on the stand, they found out it belonged to someone else. The person who was supposed to have the stand told the police, and now Emily is in trouble. She will have to go back to court later for more questioning.

Chiredzi Town Council Director Arrested For Double Allocation Of Residential Stand

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Mathew Mudimu (37), a Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) ranger, on charges of theft and criminal abuse of duty.
According to a statement from ZACC, Mudimu is accused of conspiring with fellow ranger Courage Homela to illegally sell stolen Kapenta fishing permit tags, resulting in an estimated loss of US$1,200 for ZimParks. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
It is alleged that Mudimu conspired with fellow ranger Courage Homela to steal unregistered fishing tags from ZimParks storerooms. These tags were meant for official allocation to kapenta fishers.
In March 2023, Mapuranga Chikwasha, a fisherman, had his application for a kapenta fishing permit rejected due to lake overcapacity.
However, Mudimu reportedly offered Chikwasha three stolen fishing tags for lease for US$450 per month.
Chikwasha paid US$700 through Mudimu’s wife and the accused person installed one of the tags on Chikwasha’s vessel.
</blockquote>
According to ZACC, the theft was uncovered during a routine patrol when ZimParks officials discovered an unregistered fishing tag and subsequently impounded the vessel. Investigations later confirmed that the tag had been stolen from ZimParks.
Mudimu was arraigned at the Chinhoyi Magistrates Court on November 27, 2024, where he was granted US$100 bail. He is scheduled to return to court on December 14, 2024.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

A ZimParks ranger named Mathew Mudimu was arrested for stealing and selling fishing tags. He worked with another ranger to steal tags from ZimParks and sold them to fishermen. One fisherman paid $700 for three stolen tags. Mudimu was caught when officials found an unregistered tag on a boat. He was charged with theft and criminal abuse of duty. Mudimu got bail and will go back to court on December 14, 2024. It is estimated that ZimParks lost $1,200 due to this illegal activity.

ZimParks Ranger Arrested For Illegally Selling Fishing Permits

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) chairperson, Patrick Devenish, and the organisation’s chief executive officer Meanwell Gudu.
Devenish and Gudu appeared in court on Saturday, charged with criminal abuse of office. They were remanded in custody until Monday, August 26, for a bail application hearing before Harare regional magistrate Sandra Mupindu.
The duo are accused of extending a $397,000 loan to a local company owned by Itayi Masuka, without the knowledge or approval of other TIMB board members.
According to the State’s case, in May 2021, Devenish and Gudu, acting in common purpose and with the intention to defraud TIMB, granted the loan to Ultimate Accolade (Private) Limited, owned by the Masuka family.
They allegedly misrepresented that the loan was being provided under the Tobacco Inputs Credit Scheme funded by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), despite being aware that the RBZ’s funding for this scheme had been discontinued.
It is further alleged that Gudu, while out of the office, instructed the special projects manager to have the loan contracts signed by the acting chief operations officer, Blessing Dhokotera, who believed the loan was part of the legitimate Tobacco Inputs Credit Scheme.
As a result of this misrepresentation, the full $397,739.51 loan was disbursed to Ultimate Accolade (Private) Limited.
However, from 2021 to 2023, no significant effort was made to recover the debt, until the current acting CEO brought the issue to the board’s attention late last year.
The board then tasked the executive management to recover the debt, but so far, only $16,000 has been recovered out of the total $539,650.50, including interest.
Gudu’s arrest comes a day after he was acquitted by the Harare Magistrate Court of all charges related to the alleged misappropriation of over $2 million.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Two bosses from TIMB are in trouble for doing bad things. They gave a big loan without permission. They said the loan was from a special fund, but it wasn't true. They didn't try to get the loan money back for a long time. Only a little bit has been recovered. One boss got arrested, but was let go before. They will go to court to see if they can get out of jail. People are not happy with them for what they did.

Two TIMB Bosses Remanded In Custody On Corruption Charges

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officer is accused of extorting US$1 900 from a trucker whom he caught smuggling fuel.
As reported by <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/zimra-officer-in-court-for-extorting-us1900-from-trucker/">ZimLive</a>, Kespa Chabata (57), appeared before Harare magistrate, Stanford Mambanje facing criminal abuse of office charges.
He was granted US$200 bail.
The court heard that on 09 March 2024, Chabata allegedly demanded US$3 000 so he could not confiscate a truck that was carrying wrong cargo.
He allegedly extorted the money from a fuel tanker driver, Given Alcapony Nhamo who was parked and resting at Zindoga truck stop in Waterfalls, Harare.
Chabata, who was on night duty and drove by the truck stop while on his way home, spotted the truck, went over to Nhamo and asked to see the truck’s importation documentation. Prosecutors alleged:
<blockquote>
Upon inspection of the documents, the accused noted that the declaration documents indicated that the tanker was carrying Butanone.
However, upon inquiry from the driver, what he was carrying was diesel and Chabata noted the anomaly.
The accused then asked who was in charge and the driver indicated that Lennon Chenga was the one in charge.
The accused asked the driver to contact Chenga to come to the scene.
The driver also informed one Kessie, the supervisor of Dinotic Energy in Sandton South Africa who had instructed him to transport the diesel to Zimbabwe.
Contrary to his duties, the accused did not contact his ZIMRA office or notify his supervisors of the development.
Rather, he went to extort US$3 000 from the driver and kept on holding on to the importation documents and indicated that Chenga should bring the money so that he does not confiscate the truck.
</blockquote>
Kessie is said to have managed to raise US$1 900 which he sent and delivered to Chabata.
After receiving the money, Chabata reportedly gave back the truck’s documents, telling them the importation documents were fraudulent.
However, despite knowing of the offence, Chabata still did not confiscate the truck and instead allowed Nhamo to go.
Prosecutors argued that Chabata’s actions showed undue favour to the trucker as he should have placed the truck under seizure.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZIMRA Officer Extorts US$1 900 From Trucker

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) has confirmed the arrest of Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Nkululeko Sibanda (55) and finance executive Brighton Malandule (51), who is a former ZIFA board member, on corruption allegations.
In a statement, NPA said the two accused persons appeared at Hwange Magistrates’ Court facing 5 counts of criminal abuse of office and were each granted ZWL$1.2 million. Read the statement:
<blockquote>
COUNTS OF CORRUPTION FOR TSHOLOTSHO
Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Nkululeko Sibanda (55) and finance executive Brighton Malandule (51) appeared at Hwange Magistrates’ Court facing 5 counts of criminal abuse of office.
It is the State’s case that on 19 October 2019, Tsholotsho RDC through accused one entered into a contract with Makhadu Marketing for installation of a borehole worth ZWL164 260 without following due processes.
Accused one authorized the processing of the full payment of the cost of the borehole before the contractor had fulfilled the terms of contract.
Accused two effected payments without carrying out due diligence.
In June 2021 accused one, without following procurement procedures sought quotations from 2 suppliers for fitting up a new solar pump at Mgomeni Primary School.
He went on to authorize processing of payment of USD1930 to Arnorene Enterprises Private Limited and accused two effected transfers of funds without carrying out due diligence.
In November 2021 and May 2022, Tsholotsho RDC engaged Arnorene Enterprises to do borehole maintenance at 3 sites in the council’s Ward 7 and went on to process payments amounting to ZWL164 000 and ZWL55 000 respectively, to Arnorene Enterprises, without following due processes.
On 10 April 2023, Tsholotsho RDC contracted Papcastle Services Private Limited to do motor vehicle repairs worth USD7 699 without obtaining authority to engage in a direct procurement from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.
The accused persons processed payment amounting to USD7 000 between 13 May 2023 and 11 July 2023 without carrying out due diligence.
The two were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) following a tip-off from a whistleblower.
Accused persons were granted ZWL1 200 000 bail each. The matter was remanded to 5 February 2024 pending finalization of investigations by ZACC.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Former ZIFA Boss' Arrest... Fresh Details Emerge

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) says criminal abuse of duty and fraud are the most prevalent crimes reported in 2022, with the highest number of complaints made against public officials.
This came out in the ZACC 2022 annual report received by the Parliament of Zimbabwe recently.
According to the report, which was seen by <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200019798/zacc-flags-corruption-in-govt">NewsDay</a>, of the 684 reports received by ZACC, 332 (48.50%) were about criminal abuse of duty and 247 (36.10%) fraud.
Theft or theft of property, which amounts to 29, money laundering (21), bribery (11), forgery (nine), extortion (six), tax invasion (six), smuggling (four), and three externalisation cases, are some of the reported cases. Part of the report read:
<blockquote>
A crime analysis shows that reports of criminal abuse of duty and fraud remain the most prevalent crimes reported in the year under review.
These were mostly concentrated in local authorities and rural district councils where the compliance teams had not conducted any reviews.
Further categorising these complaints into sectors, from the 684, 335 were against public officials, representing 68,4% of the total reports received; 175 were against officials or entities in the private sector, representing 25,58% of the total; and 66 were against land barons, representing 9,64% of the total.
Of the 335 complaints received against public officials, 255 were against public officials in various government ministries, and 80 were against public officials in local authorities and parastatals.
The commission handled 16 complaints against elected officials, chiefs, headmen and village heads.
</blockquote>
ZACC also revealed that cases involving public officials in government ministries were mostly against those in Lands, Agriculture, Water, and Rural Resettlement; Mines and Mining Development; and Local Government and Public Works ministries. ZACC said:
<blockquote>
Forty-six of the complaints were against officials from the Lands Ministry, particularly the Lands Department. Most of the allegations against officials from the local authorities relate to the illegal sale of land or residential stands.
These corrupt tendencies were worsened by the emergence of land barons. For the year 2022, apart from arrests, the commission also focused on improving integrity, accountability and transparency in local authorities.
</blockquote>
Former ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo was cited as saying ZACC investigated a total of 157 (62%) and referred 134 (53%) dockets to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) from the 253 cases approved by the selection committee for investigations. She added:
Improved engagement with the NPAZ bore fruit as the year 2022 saw the commission recording a 72% conviction rate of the cases it had referred to the National Prosecuting Authority at the completion of trial.
Criminal abuse of duty involves a public officer, such as a government official or civil servant, intentionally abusing their position or authority for personal gain or to cause harm to others.
It refers to situations when a public officer acts unlawfully, dishonestly, or improperly beyond their duties, and their actions amount to a criminal offence.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/11/18/president-mnangagwa-reverses-the-appointment-of-general-valerio-sibanda-to-zanu-pf-politburo/">Pindula News</a>

Corruption Prevalent In Government Offices - ZACC

The Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda and the director of procurement, Stanley Bhebhe, appeared in court on Thursday charged with two counts of Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer as defined in section 174 of the Criminal Law [Codification and Reform] Act Chapter 9:23.
The two men appeared before Harare regional magistrate Vongai Guwuriro, who granted them $100 000 bail each, reported <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/clerk-of-parliament-granted-bail-in-messy-computers-deal/">H-Metro</a>.
She ordered them not to interfere with State witnesses.
The court heard that on 17 June 2022, the Parliament of Zimbabwe flighted an advert inviting interested bidders for the supply and delivery of 173 laptops and 79 desktops.
Ninety-two (92) companies showed interest, and the number was reduced to 30 after some were disqualified for different reasons.
On 29 October 2022, Mid-End Computers was notified by Parliament that it had been awarded the contract to supply 79 desktops at US$3 076 each for a total of US$243 052 payable at the interbank rate.
Treasury, however, refused to release the payment citing the extortionate prices.
The court further heard that on 16 September, Bhebhe originated a letter, on the instructions of Chokuda, to the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) asking for authority to negotiate a price reduction.
Bhebhe in turn instructed Rudo Doka, the director of external relations, to append her signature on Chokuda’s behalf, as he was away.
But PRAZ replied and advised Parliament that negotiating a price reduction was against Section 52 of the Procurement Act which prohibits negotiations between procuring entities and bidders.
Prosecutors said the two asked for authority from PRAZ although they had already negotiated for a price reduction with Noah Sakudye, the director of Mid-End Computers on 7 September.
An agreement was reached and the price was reduced from US$243 000 to US$180 000 for the supply and delivery of 79 desktops.
It was alleged that the meeting was chaired by Parliament’s chief director of finance, Bernard Zvamada.
They allegedly submitted an unsigned Standard Bidding Document which would ordinarily be signed by Chokuda as the accounting officer.
Prosecutors said Chokuda should have cancelled the tender and re-tendered.
On the second count, Chokuda and Bhebhe unlawfully negotiated a tender that was issued to Blinart Investments.
The duo allegedly negotiated with Elizabeth Muchenje, the director of Blinart Investments Pvt Ltd, on 9 September.
An agreement was reached on the same day to reduce the price of a single laptop from US$9 264 to US$7 985.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200009522/ed-demands-re-run-in-violence-hotspots">Pindula News</a>

Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda, Granted $100 000 Bail

Zvishavane District Nursing Officer Tiny Mhlanga was on Friday sentenced to 30 months in prison after she was found guilty of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.
Mhlanga (59), who is the superior in the district, ordered clinics in her area to buy gas stoves from her and her daughter Paidamoyo at inflated prices.
The gas stoves were to be used to prepare food for delivering mothers.
After a full trial, Mhlanga was found guilty on six of the nine charges she was facing and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
However, Mhlanga will serve an effective 24 months after local Magistrate Archie Wochiunga suspended six months of the sentence for 5 years on condition of good behavior.
Prosecutor Lloyd Mavhiza told the court that the accused initially told the nurses that clinics that did not have electricity were to purchase gas tanks to be used to prepare food for mothers giving birth at their health centres.
Mavhiza said Mhlanga later gave nurses in charge of clinics a directive that gas stoves were going to be delivered with 3kg gas tanks for US$100.
However, 5kg gas stoves were later delivered and the price was increased to US$150.
Hospital drivers delivered the gas tanks while others were collected from Mhlanga’s house.
The receipts were issued in the name of Paidamoyo Mhlanga, the accused’s daughter.
The accused denied the charges and insisted that she did not give a directive to the nurses to purchase the property without following procurement procedures.
She however, admitted that there was a nurse meeting in 2014 where she suggested that clinics should buy gas stoves.
<h4>More: <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/zvishavane-nurse-goes-to-jail-for-corruption/">The Mirror</a></h4>

Zvishavane Nurse Goes To Jail For Criminal Abuse Of Office

A Karoi man and his son have been dragged to court for allegedly mounting an unsanctioned roadblock where they demanded bribes.
Mangezi Sithole (48) and his offspring, 24-year-old Talent Sithole, who are both members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Neighbourhood Watch Committee stationed at Karoi Rural, appeared before Karoi magistrate Felix Chauromwe on Friday.
The duo was charged with contravening Section 174, or alternatively Section 134, which relate to criminal abuse of duty and extortion, respectively.
The pair was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to 13 August for routine remand.
The complainant in the matter is Peter Kanyungwa (31), a kombi operator.
Prosecutor Gerald Dhamusi said on 28 July this year, at around 2:30 pm, the complainant who owns a kombi, loaded 16 passengers and proceeded towards Magororo in Magunje.
Kanyungwa drove along Karoi-Chirundu highway heading towards Magunje but diverted off the main road to avoid a police roadblock mounted at the 204-kilometre peg.
After driving for about three kilometres along a detour dust road that passes through farms, the complainant was stopped by the Sitholes, who wore ZRP uniforms and were armed with batons.
Both accused persons allegedly demanded from Kanyungwa US$20 to allow him passage, accusing him of operating in contravention of COVID-19 regulations.
The complainant however indicated he could pay US$10, and pleaded for the duo to accept it.
However, the father and son team refused to back down, and as they haggled over the bribe, Kanyungwa phoned the Karoi Traffic officer-in-charge only identified as Inspector Shari.
Insp Shari teamed up with district police commander, Chief Superintendent Helena Mahonde, who rushed to the scene.
Upon arrival, the police bosses arrested the Sitholes and took them to Karoi Urban police station.
It was later established that the pair had, two days earlier, mounted another illegal roadblock on the same road stretch where they extorted US$17 from Kanyungwa who, however, never lodged a formal police report.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/dad-son-arrested-for-mounting-illegal-bush-police-roadblock/">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

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