Former sports minister arrested, found with tonnes of beans

Former Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister and Member of Parliament for Mberengwa East Makhosini Hlongwane was yesterday picked up by police at his farm on the outskirts of Zvishavane town.

Police also seized about 10 tonnes of sugar beans they found stashed at the former minister's farm. Acting police spokesperson for Midlands Province Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the arrest.

She could not give details of the reasons for the arrest, saying the ex-minister was later released pending further investigations.

"I can confirm that police picked up Makhosini Hlongwane at his farm today (yesterday)," he said.

"A statement was recorded before he was released, but investigations are still underway."

Sources close to the incident told The Herald that about eight police details raided the ex-minister's farm in the early hours of yesterday before they arrested him.

The sources said he was found with several tonnes of sugar beans, and could not explain how he got such large quantities.

"Police later loaded the sugar beans into a lorry and went to Zvishavane Police Station with the former minister," said the source.

"He was asked to produce the receipts of where he bought the sugar beans, but he said they where donated by a company which he could not divulge."

The ex-minister was said to be still assisting police with investigations by yesterday evening.

Hlongwane, together with other former ministers linked to the G40 cabal skipped the border to Mozambique when the military intervened last month.

He later silently returned into the country some weeks after the swearing-in of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and since then, has been holed up at his farm in Zvishavane.