Mugabe minister Moyo arrested over $450,000 fraud

AFRICA REVIEW , Harare. A Zimbabwean minister has been arrested on charges that he siphoned over $450 000 from a government manpower development fund.

Higher and Tertiary Education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo was arrested on Wednesday, a day after he accused Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa of using State institutions to position himself in the battle to succeed President Robert Mugabe.

The minister had refused to cooperate with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), which tried to arrest him in early October, saying it was being used by Mr Mnangagwa to settle political scores.

Prof Moyo threatened to sue the vice president and ZACC over the attempts to arrest him.

However, on Wednesday afternoon the minister handed himself to ZACC where he was interrogated until 8 PM before he was released into the custody of his lawyers.

He was expected to appear in court on Thursday together with his deputy Godfrey Gandawa and the chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund.

“I can confirm that (the minister) was invited to assist police and ZACC with investigations,” Prof Moyo’s lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri told a State owned publication on Thursday.

“He voluntarily availed himself for that process. He answered questions as put to him and at the end of that process, they immediately decided that they would be arresting, detaining and charging him.

“The constitutional requirements were complied with. The charges were put to him,” he added.

“He disposed a warned and cautioned statement and thereafter a request was made that he be released to his lawyers and we duly executed an indemnity.”

Public

On Tuesday Prof Moyo issued a statement saying he was suing Mr Mnangagwa and Information minister Chris Mushowe over the way ZAAC handled the scandal and stories published by government owned newspapers.

The minister is also suing President Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba, a government owned newspaper group and its editors as well as ZACC over stories liking him to the alleged corruption.

Last month, President Mugabe blocked ZACC from arresting Prof Moyo over the charges.

Prof Moyo said Mr Mnangagwa, considered a front runner to succeed Zimbabwe’s long time ruler, was trying to use the alleged corruption allegations to have a front footing in the succession race.

He said ZACC attempted to arrest him four times after its commissioners held a meeting with the vice-president where he allegedly told them that President Mugabe had sanctioned his arrest.

“The political ends currently being pursued by the vice-president are advanced in relation to what has become public knowledge about securing a front foot in succession politics,” Prof Moyo said in a statement.

“It is clear from ZACC’s own records that the decision to effect my arrest was taken at the vice-president’s office and subsequently rubber-stamped by all the commissioners,” he added.

“It must follow that this having occurred, the decisions and actions of the VP and ZACC are open to challenge and are unlawful.”

Personal instruments

He accused Mr Mnangagwa, who is also Justice minister, of turning State institutions such as ZACC and the National Prosecuting Authority into personal instruments to advance his factional agenda.

“I must also express my disgust and dismay at the phenomenon and animal called State capture in as far as it relates to an organ of the State such as ZACC abdicating its legal duty and surrendering it to a political and factional cause,” Prof Moyo added.

“The scourge of institutions of State being captured and being used as willing weapons to bludgeon persons holding a divergent view on political discourse is unacceptable. This cannot go unchallenged.”

In February, First Lady Grace Mugabe attacked Mr Mnangagwa, accusing him of plotting to kill her children and removing her husband from power before his term ends.

The president’s 51 year-old wife belongs to a Zanu PF faction known as Generation 40 where Prof Moyo is believed to be a leading strategist.

The faction is locked in a battle to succeed President Mugabe with another one linked to Mr Mnangagwa.

President Mugabe last week said he would not protect ministers implicated in corruption related crimes but insisted they must be given a chance to defend themselves in court.

A senior army commander said corruption had become a security threat in Zimbabwe. The army is believed to be behind Mr Mnangagwa in the fluid succession battle.