News / National
Jonathan Moyo seeks Mnangagwa perm sec's arrest
16 Jun 2017 at 08:46hrs | Views
HIGHER Education minister Jonathan Moyo has filed criminal charges against Justice ministry permanent secretary Virginia Mabhiza, accusing her of abusing her office and interfering with court processes in a bid to influence the outcome of his Constitutional Court (ConCourt) challenge against the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).
Moyo's legal action, filed under police record CR/06/17, stems from a whistleblower's letter, which allegedly insinuated that Mabhiza co-ordinated strategies on how the minister's constitutional application should be conducted.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed receipt of Moyo's report.
"Yes, he made a report to the police. You can get the details from the complainant," she said.
Moyo could not be reached for comment yesterday, as his mobile phone went unanswered, while text messages sent to him had not been responded to at the time of going to print last night.
The minister argues Zacc has no arresting powers.
In the letter dated June 13 and addressed to the Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, the whistleblower claimed Mabhiza chaired three meetings in her ministry's boardroom to influence the court's decision on Moyo's financial abuse case.
The alleged meetings, held on June 9 at 3pm and June 12 at 9am and 6pm, were attended by Zacc commissioners Goodson Nguni and Farai Mashonganyika-Chinyani, Charity Matumbu, a Godzi and a Kufandada, Acting Prosecutor-General Ray Goba, Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, law officer Justin Uladi, Admore Makoto, a Masuku, a Murevanhema, Fortune Chimbaru, Silence Pondo, a Munyoro and a Matumbi.
Part of the mole's letter read: "Sir, I am an officer and raising serious concern and reservations on the way Mrs Mabhiza is operating together with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Prosecuting Authority.
"She is abusing her office and duty influencing us, officers, to do dubious unprofessional and unlawful things for political gain."
The informer added: "The meetings took place at the Ministry of Justice boardroom. The major reasons were to have a strategy co-ordinated by the Ministry of Justice for the ConCourt sitting on June 14, 2017 for Prof Moyo's case.
There is (sic) serious efforts to compromise the bench through Mrs Mabhiza."
The letter was also copied to Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Central Intelligence Organisation director-general Happyton Bonyongwe, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo and Moyo.
The Zanu-PF politburo member last year filed a ConCourt application challenging his arrest by Zacc on charges of abusing over $430 000 drawn from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund.
The ConCourt on Wednesday reserved judgment on the matter.
Moyo's legal action, filed under police record CR/06/17, stems from a whistleblower's letter, which allegedly insinuated that Mabhiza co-ordinated strategies on how the minister's constitutional application should be conducted.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed receipt of Moyo's report.
"Yes, he made a report to the police. You can get the details from the complainant," she said.
Moyo could not be reached for comment yesterday, as his mobile phone went unanswered, while text messages sent to him had not been responded to at the time of going to print last night.
The minister argues Zacc has no arresting powers.
In the letter dated June 13 and addressed to the Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, the whistleblower claimed Mabhiza chaired three meetings in her ministry's boardroom to influence the court's decision on Moyo's financial abuse case.
Part of the mole's letter read: "Sir, I am an officer and raising serious concern and reservations on the way Mrs Mabhiza is operating together with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Prosecuting Authority.
"She is abusing her office and duty influencing us, officers, to do dubious unprofessional and unlawful things for political gain."
The informer added: "The meetings took place at the Ministry of Justice boardroom. The major reasons were to have a strategy co-ordinated by the Ministry of Justice for the ConCourt sitting on June 14, 2017 for Prof Moyo's case.
There is (sic) serious efforts to compromise the bench through Mrs Mabhiza."
The letter was also copied to Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Central Intelligence Organisation director-general Happyton Bonyongwe, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo and Moyo.
The Zanu-PF politburo member last year filed a ConCourt application challenging his arrest by Zacc on charges of abusing over $430 000 drawn from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund.
The ConCourt on Wednesday reserved judgment on the matter.
Source - newsday
