Harare(New Ziana)- Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of Implementation and Monitoring, Joram Gumbo was on Monday arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on charges of criminal abuse of office involving millions of dollars belonging to the government.

The charges are arising from his tenure as Transport and Infrastructural Development between 2013 and 2017.

Gumbo, who was reassigned as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of Implementation and Monitoring in May this year, becomes the second serving cabinet Minister to be arrested for suspected graft.

Former Environment and Tourism Minister Prisca Mupfumira was arrested and fired for alleged corruption involving US$95 million siphoned from the National Social Security Authority.

She is out on bail pending trial.

Zacc spokesperson John Makamure confirmed the arrest.

“I can confirm he has been arrested. He is facing criminal abuse of office,” he said.

One of the cases Gumbo is being questioned over is the Zimbabwe Airways deal which saw the government losing millions of dollars after he authorised renovations of a relative’s house to the tune of $1 million with a view to turn the property into the airline headquarters.

Gumbo is also expected to explain the rationale behind reinstating Central Mechanical and Engineering Department (CMED) boss Davison Mhaka despite him having been convicted of misconduct by a disciplinary tribunal.

Charges are that in 2013, CMED advertised a tender to procure fuel worth US$2.7 million and it was won by First Oil Company which then failed to deliver despite having been paid for the service.

In 2015, the CMED board resolved to suspend Mhaka who had signed the contract with First Oil.

A disciplinary authority found Mhaka guilty and recommended his dismissal.

Gumbo as the responsible Minister then allegedly wrote a directive to reinstate Mhaka with full benefits despite him having caused the government to be prejudiced of USD 2.7 million.
New Ziana