COVID-19: Ex-RBZ boss dies while hunting for coronavirus ventilator in Harare

Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe director Norman Mataruka has died from covid-19, closes sources say.

Reports suggest that he succumbed to the deadly Coronavirus after local health institutions – Borrowdale Trauma centre and St Annes reportedly declined him.

It is further alleged that Mataruka ended up at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals last night looking for a ventilator and eventually passed on this morning.

According to former Sunday Mail Editor Edmund Kudzayi, despite efforts by his friend John Mangudya to have him admitted at Parirenyatwa, the banker died early Monday morning.

Former RBZ official Norman Mataruka succumbed to Covid-19 earlier this morning. As he deteriorated, Mangudya tried to get him admitted at Parirenyatwa but doctors said the hospital was so poorly equipped he was better off staying at home. Leaves behind a wife and two daughters.

Mataruka became popular after being suspended by RBZ Governor John Mangudya following reports that he was involved in a money-laundering scam by self-styled communications strategist William Gerald Mutumanje.

Earlier, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe initiated a crackdown on some of its employees who it alleges are involved in illicit financial flows that include fuelling the parallel market.

Mataruka was one of the employees that tendered in their resignation letters at the beginning of March due to the crackdown.