Health Minister arrested

Harare (New Ziana) – Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo was arrested on Friday on charges believed to be related to a Covid-19 drugs supply scandal.

He is held at Rhodesville Police Station and is expected to appear in court on Saturday.

The arrest is at the behest of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), which has in recent months stepped up its fight against top-level graft in the country.

ZACC spokesman John Makamure confirmed the arrest but could not shed light on the charges to be preferred against the minister.

Moyo, the second Cabinet minister to be nabbed by ZACC, is thought to face charges related to a Covid-19 supply scandal involving the controversial company, Drax International.

Drax’s local representative, Delish Nguwaya is currently in detention on fraud charges after his company attempted to sell overpriced Covid-19 supplies to the government.

Asked what charges the Minister was facing, Makamure said:”That i cannot say at the moment, but he has been arrested, he is detained at Rhodesville Police Station. He will appear in court tomorrow (Saturday).”

Dr Moyo has been under fire in recent weeks following revelations that his Ministry had contracted Drax to supply drugs and Covid-19 materials at inflated prices.

Moyo joins former Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira to be arrested for suspected graft.

She faces a slew of charges involving a staggering US$90 million connected to the National Social Security Authority.

Mupfumira’s case is still in court, but she has lost her Cabinet post.

Moyo’s arrest comes on a day former Energy and Power Development Minister, Samuel Udenge was jailed for two and half years abuse of office.

He was found guilty of using his influence to force power utility company, Zesa – which was under his ministerial purview – to engage public relations consultants he hand-picked without going to tender.

New Ziana