Minister Gumbo fails to appear in court

Harare(New Ziana)-Presidential Affairs Minister in charge of Implementation and Monitoring Joram Gumbo who was on Monday arrested on graft charges on Tuesday failed to appear in court for initial remand hearing.

Gumbo who is facing eight charges of criminal abuse stemming from his days as Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, was expected to appear in court on Tuesday but was instead taken back to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) offices.

He arrived at the Harare Magistrates Court in the company of his lawyers but left shortly after without appearing in court.

Reasons for his failed court appearance were unclear with his lawyer saying that he was not sure of what would happen next.

“I am not sure what the situation is at the moment. But we have been asked to come back to Zacc offices,” his lawyer Selby Hwacha said.

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 graft.

Former Environment and Tourism Minister Prisca Mupfumira was arrested and fired for corruption involving US$95 million siphoned from the National Social Security Authority. She is out on bail pending trial.

The allegations against Gumbo took place from 2013 to 2017.

New Ziana