Ex-CIO director general questioned by police over 'death threat'

Former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director-general Fulton Mangwanya was questioned by police in Harare on Wednesday in connection with allegations that he threatened to kill a businessman and his family while serving as the country's top intelligence official.

Mangwanya, who was dismissed from his post by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in April, presented himself at Harare Central Police Station accompanied by his lawyer, Musindo Hungwe, after police allegedly attempted to arrest him on Tuesday night.

Hungwe declined to comment on the matter.

"I'm not at liberty to answer any question in relation to your enquiry," he said.

Police recorded a warned and cautioned statement from Mangwanya before releasing him.

According to a law enforcement source, the matter stems from a complaint lodged in June last year.

"The matter relates to a complaint made in June last year when Mangwanya was still CIO director-general," the source said.

"It is alleged that he threatened to kill a businessman and his family during a dispute."

The source did not explain why police were only acting on the complaint more than a year after it was made.

Mangwanya was removed from office by President Mnangagwa in April after serving just over a year as CIO director-general. No official reasons were provided for his dismissal.

His departure has been the subject of widespread speculation.

According to sources familiar with events preceding his dismissal, Mangwanya allegedly convened a meeting attended by President Mnangagwa, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, during which he reportedly warned that efforts by some Zanu PF members to extend the President's term of office posed a national security risk and were causing divisions within government.

The sources alleged that Mnangagwa viewed the intervention unfavourably and suspected Mangwanya of advancing Vice-President Chiwenga's interests. Those claims have not been independently verified, and neither the Presidency nor Mangwanya has publicly commented on them.

Police had not issued an official statement on the investigation at the time of publication. The allegations against Mangwanya have also not been tested in court.