ZACC and Zimra net 19 000 civil servants in corruption probe

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), is conducting investigations into approximately 19,000 cases of corruption involving civil servants who have exploited the free import duty on vehicles.

The government had extended the duty waiver to civil servants to import vehicles without incurring duty fees, but many individuals have been abusing this privilege. They have imported vehicles for their relatives and friends, while some have purchased cars from foreign dealers for profit, receiving up to $1,000 per vehicle depending on the make and price.

ZACC's Deputy Chair, Kuziwa Murapa, stated that numerous cases have already been brought to court as part of their investigation process. ZACC typically investigates cases and then hands them over to the police or prosecution for further action.

Speaking at an international anti-corruption conference organized by Bindura University of Education, Murapa emphasized the need for collaboration with other institutions and agencies to combat corruption effectively.

ZACC is also actively pursuing assets located outside the country, which have been identified as the proceeds of corruption and the externalization of funds. Processes are underway to repatriate some of these assets as ZACC aims to recover a cumulative total of $1 billion worth of stolen assets.