Harare – The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has cleared controversial businessman Wicknell Chivhayo of any wrongdoing in the ballot procurement scandal with the electoral body.
Chivhayo who was a friend of convicted businessman, Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe allegedly got millions after supplying Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) with ballot papers for the 2023 general elections in Zimbabwe
The allegations were told by Mpofu and Chimombe after they felt out with Chivhayo.
In a surprise announcement, ZACC said Chivhayo and ZEC have never been engaged in any deal despite massive evidence splashed on social media.
ZACC chairperson, Michael Reza told journalists in Harare on Wednesday that ZEC told the anti-corruption investigators that they have never done any business with Chivayo.
Several media reports in the last two years said Ren-Form CC, a printing company in from South Africa corruptly supplied ZEC with ballot papers in US$100 million deal with Chivayo playing a key role.
Chivhayo has been getting millions of dollars from the company and splashing it crazily donating cash and cars like confetti at a wedding.
Chivhayo is ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Social media commentators have accused ZACC of failing to critically investigating Chivhayo despite overwhelming evidence because Chivhayo is close to Mnangagwa.
Fadzayi Mahere, a lawyer and rights activist commended on X saying ZACC did not do complete and thorough investigations on Chivhayo.
”It is far too narrow for you to say there was no contract between ZEC and Mr Chivayo and end there. Did you act on the leads from South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre that recorded suspicious transactions between RenForm CC and Mr Chivayo?,” Mahere said.
”We are aware that ZEC entered a contract with RenForm CC but the critical issue you were meant to investigate is why RenForm proceeded to pay millions to Mr Chivayo’s account. Did you satisfy yourself that there was no money laundering? Were the amounts paid inflated to include shady consultancy fees as alleged? Was any bank statement analysis done?”
Mahere said ZACC appears not keen to interview Mpofu and Chimombe who have led the allegations against Chivhayo.
”Why does it appear that you are biased against Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe? Did you interview them to get their version of events? How did you conclude that Mr Chivayo was telling the truth? Should the issue not have been referred to the courts for adjudication?” she said.
”As the body mandated to fight corruption under the Constitution, we expect far more rigorous investigations than this superficial conclusion it appears you have drawn here.”