News / National
Zacc arrests 235 public officials for land deals
23 May 2024 at 05:50hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) reports the arrest of 235 public officials for various offenses, including illegal land deals, criminal abuse of office, and fraud.
Zacc Commissioner Gabriel Chaibva disclosed that these cases have been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe for further action. Among the reported cases, 36 have been concluded, with "tainted assets valued at approximately US$135 million" also identified.
"In 2022, the commission received a total of 684 corruption-related complaints, with Harare accounting for 481 cases," Chaibva stated during a workshop on Land and Corruption in Zimbabwe organized by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) on Monday.
He further detailed the distribution of reported cases across different regions, with urban and rural councils particularly affected by corruption, exacerbated by the emergence of land barons.
TIZ Executive Director Tafadzwa Chikumbu highlighted numerous human rights violations associated with land invasions, citing cases of eviction without compensation and marginalized communities not benefiting from local investments.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume condemned land barons for exploiting systemic loopholes to sell undeveloped land, resulting in legal and social complications. He advocated for a comprehensive approach, including a ban on invasions, enactment of proper criminal offenses, and cessation of unserviced land sales.
Mafume also outlined plans to revise Harare's master plan to address land issues effectively.
Stanley Sakupwanya, Zanu-PF Manicaland Youth League provincial chairperson, accused councils of facilitating land corruption, attributing instances of double allocations to council negligence.
Zacc Commissioner Gabriel Chaibva disclosed that these cases have been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe for further action. Among the reported cases, 36 have been concluded, with "tainted assets valued at approximately US$135 million" also identified.
"In 2022, the commission received a total of 684 corruption-related complaints, with Harare accounting for 481 cases," Chaibva stated during a workshop on Land and Corruption in Zimbabwe organized by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) on Monday.
He further detailed the distribution of reported cases across different regions, with urban and rural councils particularly affected by corruption, exacerbated by the emergence of land barons.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume condemned land barons for exploiting systemic loopholes to sell undeveloped land, resulting in legal and social complications. He advocated for a comprehensive approach, including a ban on invasions, enactment of proper criminal offenses, and cessation of unserviced land sales.
Mafume also outlined plans to revise Harare's master plan to address land issues effectively.
Stanley Sakupwanya, Zanu-PF Manicaland Youth League provincial chairperson, accused councils of facilitating land corruption, attributing instances of double allocations to council negligence.
Source - newsday
