Harare (New Ziana)-The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has started processes to recover cash and assets worth at least US$7 billion taken out of the country illegally by former and existing government officials, an official has said.

Chairperson Loice Matanda- Moyo told reporters on the sidelines of a workshop on inter- agency coordination in the fight against corruption that the commission had activated links with international agencies to recover the loot stashed in foreign lands.

“ZACC is now doing the preliminary investigations so that we do have enough evidence. Right now what we have done is we do have evidence in some of the matters, where we have followed the monies and found the destinations of the monies.

“So what we are now trying to do is then to link that money to corruption and from then on, we refer the matters to the National Prosecuting Authority. The NPA is the one which then pushes the legal front outside the country,” she said.

Matanda- Moyo is on record saying the loot had been identified in several countries, including Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Spain and Mauritius.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has singled out fighting corruption as one of his top priorities since taking office two years ago, and several senior officials – including cabinet Ministers – have been arraigned in the courts on graft charges.

As part of the fight, President Mnangagwa revamped Zacc and gave it arresting and other powers in order for the agency to be effective in its work.

Special courts have also been opened throughout the country to try corruption cases, to ensure these are speedily dealt with.

New Ziana