CIO spied on Mujuru

The late General Solomon Mujuru and the Prisons Commissioner retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi were being spied on by the Central Intelligence Organization at a bar where they used meet and discuss private issues.

Also under surveillance were Air force commander Perence Shiri, former Energy Minister Mike Nyambuya and the former Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Minister Simbaneuta Mudarikwa.

Before the death of Mujuru two years ago, the group would meet regularly at Zimondi's special pub situated at Harare Central Prison, where they used to drink all night. A reliable source identified a member of the CIO (name withheld) who used to patronise the bar to spy on the group.

"At one point the spy, who was using a cell phone similar to Zimondi's, pretended to be drunk and took Zimondi's phone and went away. Later, after all the prison officers working at the bar had been accused of taking the phone, he returned and said he had mistaken it for his," said the source.

"Zimondi was suspicious about the incident and ordered his security department to inspect the bar. They discovered that the place was bugged. Some 'gadgets' were dismantled from the ceiling and since then (end of November) the CIO officer has not returned to the mess, after visiting it daily for more than two years."

The source said this resulted in the sacking of deputy minister Simbaneta Mudarikwa and the purging of more senior Zanu-PF officials linked to the Mujuru family. Zimondi, a close ally of Mujuru, has allegedly been offered a diplomatic post.