BREAKING: Minister Joram Gumbo arrested after implicating Mnangagwa

Mnangagwa has allowed a second Cabinet Minister to be arrested as his anti-corruption drive once more took centre stage Monday following weeks of inaction.

Minister in Mnangagwa’s office in charge of Policy Implementation and a close Midlands associate of ED Joram Gumbo was picked up by investigators from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission(ZAAC) early Monday.

The man who served as Transport Minister during Mugabe years has reportedly sucked in President Mnangagwa and former Finance Minister Patrick Chainamasa in the Zim Airways scam.

He is allegedly accussing Mnangagwa of being part of the murky ZimAirways deal in which government lost millions.

“He has been arrested and been quizzed as we speak. He has already engaged Selby Hwacha as his lawyer, he is claiming he is innocent and has implicated Mnangagwa and Chinamasa. Gumbo is alleging (former President Robert) Mugabe sometime in 2012 set-up a Cabinet committee chaired by Mnangagwa to structure the deal. Basically he is claiming he did not sign any papers. All were signed by the Cabinet committee chairperson (Mnangagwa) and Chinamasa,” said another source.

Former Zimbabwe First Lady Grace and her son-in-law Simba Chikore who Gumbo appointed Air Zimbabwe chief operating officer during his tenure as Transport Minister are also implicated in the deal but there was no information yet on whether they will be picked up.

ZACC has charged Gumbo with “criminal abuse of office.”

Below are the full details from the court papers relating to the arrest of the Minister in the President’s Office in Charge of Policy Implementation. Note..slight spelling errors from direct image to text translation.:

ANNEXURE TO FORM 242
COUNT 1:

1. Complainant In this case Is the state represented by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Transport and Infrastructural Development.

2. Accused is Jorum Gurnbo the former minister of Transport and infrastructural Development. He was the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development during the time the offence was committed.

3. Sometime in 2013 CMED Pvt Ltd flighted a tender to procure fuel worth USD$2,7 million. The tender was won and awarded to o Company called First Oil Company. First OS Company failed to deliver the fuel despite having received the payment from CMED.

4. Sometime in 2015, the CMED Board resolved to suspend the managing Director Davison Mhaka. The suspension was to make way for on inquiry into Davison Mhaka’s conduct, as he had single-handedly signed the contract to offer First Oil Company the fuel contract. contrary to the procedure for three officers to countersign for the contract. The Board also appointed a Disciplinary Authority to look into the matter.

5. A Disciplinary Authority chaired by retired Justice Simbi Mubako found the director Davison Mhaka guilty of two counts of misconduct out of the tour charges preferred against him. The Disciplinary Authority recommended Davison Mhaka’s dismissal.

6. At the end of 2015. the accused who was the then Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development abused his authority as Minister by directing the CMED Board to reinstate the managing Director Davison Mhaka despite that he was found guilty by Disciplinary Authority which recommended his dismissal. Davison Mhaka was also still facing criminal Charges at the courts under Harare Harare CR Number 230/04/16.

7. The managing director Davison Mhaka was then reinstated with lull benefits according to the accused’s written directive despite that he caused government to suffer an actual prejudice of USD$2,7 million and nothing was recovered to date…

1. Complainant in this matter is the stale represented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

2. Accused is Jorum Gurnbo the former Minister al Transport and Infrastructural Development. He was the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development during the time the offence was committed. In Mach 2012 accused as the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development caused formation of Zimbabwe Airways a private entity. Upon ifs formation. two officials from Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development namely Andrew Bvumbe and Legal Director Angeline Karonga were appointed the Directors of this Private Limited Company which was incorporated as Zimbabwe Airways with a Company Number 3015/12.

4. The terms of reference for the Zimbabwe Airways according to its Memorandum and Articles of Association were to carry on the business 01 passengers, cargo and freighting agents on international and domestic air terminals and to provide customs bonded warehouse facilities among other things.

5. The accused corruptly and single-handedly picked his Sister Mavis Gumbo’s house whose address is Number 1436 GletywIn. ChIshohwasho Hills for use as the Headquarters for Zimbabwe Airways.

6. On I 0 August 2017 accused submitted a written request of US051million to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. which was granted. The money was purportedly for salaries of employees and rentals of Zimbabwe Annoys Offices. The money was transferred to Zimbabwe Airways ROT current account number 2000003428.

7. On 21 August 2017. the accused directed that the monies from Zimbabwe Airways RBZ account should be used to rent and renovate the purported Zimbabwe Airways Head Office, a property belonging his relative. Mavis Gumbo. The accused caused Zimbabwe Airways to enter into a property lease agreement for the rental of Number 1436 GletywIn, Chishawasha Hills thereby showing favour to his relative. Mavis Gumbo.

8. On 12 September 2017. Zimbabwe Airways deposited the amount at USDS 1 million into Maclaten Holdings. Standard Chartered account number 8700216819900 a company owned by Close Roche. Mudzoml who 0 Mavis Gumbo’s daughter.

9. The accused acted contrary and inconsistent with his duties as a public officer by showing favour to his relative Mavis Gumbo thereby causing Government of Zimbabwe to be prejudiced of USD51 million as o result at such action. To date, nothing was recovered.