ED Fires Corrupt Anti-Corruption Commissioner Muchengwa

Following his suspension in 2020 on graft allegations, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) commissioner Frank Muchengwa has been fired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The dismissal which comes after after a tribunal recommended that Muchengwa be dismissed from his post for gross misconduct, is with immediate effect.

Announcing Muchengwa’s dismissal this Thursday morning, Government spokesperson, Ndavaningi ‘Nick’ Mangwana said:

“The Tribunal which was inquiring into the question of removal from office of Frank Muchengwa as a member of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission in terms of section 237 as read with section 187 of the Constitution has completed its work. The Tribunal has reported its findings to His Excellency, the President, Cde Dr E.D NInangangwa, and has recommended that Commissioner Frank Muchengwa be removed from office for acts of gross misconduct. Accordingly, His Excellency the President, acting in terms of Section 187 (8) of the Constitution, has removed Commissioner Frank Muchengwa from office with immediate effect”.

Muchengwa served in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for 32 years and was involved in investigating corruption and other commercial crimes.

He once headed the ZRP Commercial Crime Unit.

His appointment to the anti-graft Zacc came in 2019 after he was shortlisted by Parliament following interviews.

As fate would have it, Muchengwa’s honeymoon with Zacc ended a year latter following corruption allegations after a complaint of improper conduct was raised against him.

In the wake of the allegations, Mnangagwa then set up a tribunal tasked with finding out if Muchengwa was fit to hold office.

The tribunal was tasked to investigate whether Commissioner Muchengwa interfered with the course of justice during the conduct of his duties; to investigate whether he interfered with investigations, received bribes and passed on confidential information concerning matters that he was investigating and to investigate whether or not he presided over matters in which he had a conflict of interest.

The tribunal was also asked to consider all information submitted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in order to arrive at an appropriate recommendation to the President and investigate any other matter which the Tribunal deemed appropriate and relevant to the inquiry.

Zwnews