The training college for Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives in Hatfield caught fire in circumstances believed to an arson attack just before 3 PM on Thursday.
ZimLive reported that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is investigating the case.
Apparently, the incident was preceded by an attempted break-in at the Harare house of CIO deputy director, Gatsha Mazithulela around 2 am on Thursday.
In this incident, a man was shot dead during the attempted break-in while two others are said to have fled.
Apparrently, investigators would be trying to establish if the two incidents are linked or are mere coincidences.
Mazithulela, a former National University of Science and Technology (NUST) vice-chancellor, who also teaches at the CIO’s training college was unharmed in the incident.
Mazithulela was appointed to the role of deputy director in January 2020.
The CIO is believed to be made up of nine key branches – internal, external, counter-intelligence, military intelligence, training, close security unit, technical, administration and another simply known as branch six.
The directors, who fall immediately under Director General ranks, are in charge of some of these branches and enjoy almost similar benefits to those of government ministers.
According media reports some of the heads at times report directly to the President.
Immediately under the directors are deputy directors, assistant directors, provincial intelligence officers, district intelligence officers, senior intelligence officers, assistant senior intelligence officers and ordinary-level intelligence officers.
