Tongogara daughter in hiding over corruption probe saga
Liberation war hero Josiah Tongogara
By Alex Bell
18 March 2013
Sukai Tongogara, the eldest daughter of the late Zanla commander General
Josiah Magama Tongogara, is reportedly in hiding and on the run, in the wake of attempts by the Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC) to investigate two parastatals.
According to the Standard newspaper, Sukai (ZACC’s General Manager) was tipped off on Friday that law enforcement agents were on the verge of arresting her on charges of abuse of office.
“Sukai was told Friday that she will be locked up for the whole weekend in
order to silence and fix her for daring investigating senior officials,”
a ZACC official was quoted as telling the Standard.
The official: “This is pure persecution because what she is doing is on behalf of the commissioners. Our understanding is that this exercise has the blessing of President Robert Mugabe as he has openly spoken against corruption.”
The ZACC was last week stopped from investigating the Zimbabwe Mining and Development Corporation (ZMDC) and the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB), amid reports of serious corruption within both groups. The ZMDC is linked to Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, while the NIEEB is linked to Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
The ZACC investigation into the two groups was signed off by a High Court Judge last Monday, but both parastatals filed an urgent interdict to stop the probe. Since then a group believed to be aligned to Kasukuwere has used the Sunday Mail newspaper to lash out at the ZACC, accusing it of being involved in corruption.
The newspaper reported that there is a labour dispute between the ZACC and 26 investigators and intelligence officers it employs. The report states it is “an explosive case that has blown the lid on it says the goings-on at ZACC, the 26 officers are alleging that the commission itself is corrupt, selfish and is now being used to further private and personal agendas at the expense of the welfare of the secretariat.”
But Political analyst Clifford Mashiri said this targeting of the ZACC was a direct result of attempts to expose the “ZANU PF cash cow” that is the ZMDC and the indigenisation drive. He said that the party “will do anything to ensure the details of these groups remains hidden,” because they provide the party with critical funding.
He said the ZACC investigation was a “sham,” because the body does not have the authority to do more than probe the corruption claims.
“They do not have the teeth to do anything. Regardless ZANU PF doesn’t want transparency and doesn’t want this to be exposed,” Mashiri said.
To contact this reporter email [email protected] or follow on Twitter
We want to hear your thoughts and opinions, so leave us your comments on [email protected] or Facebook. You can also join the conversation on Twitter by tweeting us using #Zim2013 .
