Attorney General protecting Chombo and Kasukuwere from arrest
By Lance Guma
22 March 2012
Attorney General Johannes Tomana is blocking the arrest of two ZANU PF
government ministers, one accused of abusing the Constituency Development
Fund (CDF) and the other of corruptly acquiring council land, among other
things.
SW Radio Africa can today reveal that Youth and Empowerment Minister Saviour
Kasukuwere and Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo should have been
arrested when other MP’s were picked up for allegedly abusing the CDF funds.
In the last thirty days three MDC-T legislators, Marvelous Khumalo, Albert
Mhlanga and Cleopas Machacha, plus Zanu PF’s MP for Magunje, Franco
Ndambakuwa, were all arrested on allegations they had diverted funds from
parliament which were meant for development projects in their
constituencies.
SW Radio Africa understands the Attorney General rushed to stop the
Anti-Corruption Commission from carrying out more arrests because two key
individuals in the ZANU PF regime were next in line. Tomana tried to justify
his directive by arguing that all MP’s should be audited first before any
arrests.
According to Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga, 10 MPs — six
from Zanu PF and four from MDC-T — failed to submit returns to prove how
they had used the US$50,000 they had each received from the CDF in 2010.
Concern has already been expressed that only one out of six ZANU PF
legislators has been arrested.
We have information that alleges that Kasukuwere diverted the US$50,000
given to him by claiming that a company owned by his sister had provided a
‘service’ in his constituency. “The Anti-Corruption Commission has already
completed its ‘docket’ on Kasukuwere but Tomana is sitting on it,” a source
told us.
SW Radio Africa has in the past reported how Kasukuwere owns nine farms,
despite claims by Mugabe’s regime that they seized white owned land to give
to landless blacks.
Confidential documents sent to us showed how he owns part of Pimento Farm in
Mashonaland Central, South Bamboo Creek in Shamva, Cornucopia Farm Orchard,
500 hectares of Harmony Farm in Mazowe, Bretton Farm, Allan Grange Farm,
Auchenburg Farm, Bamboo Creek Farm and Bourne Farm.
Pimento was seized from white farmer Oliver Newton, South Bamboo Creek from
farmers N. Richardson and R. Morkel, while Kasukuwere reportedly seized the
Cornucopia Farm Orchard from Interfresh in 2006. His brother Donald
Kasukuwere also helped himself to two farms, Usaka in Mazowe, Mashonaland
Central and Sangokwe North in Mwenezi.
In addition to the farms Kasukuwere is also involved in oil procurement and
distribution, owning ComOil (Pvt) Ltd. He has also managed to so run down
United Touring Company (UTC) that it is in serious financial difficulties.
He also has substantial shareholdings in Genesis Bank and Interfresh (Pvt)
Ltd.
In 2009 he was accused of trying to block fresh investment in the energy
sector to force companies like BP and Shell to sell their assets to his oil
company.
Chombo’s wealth was exposed in 2010 in a messy divorce involving his wife of
25 years, Marian. Court documents exposed the fact that Chombo, a former
teacher, had tentacles in virtually all sectors of the economy.
The minister has interests in several farms, mines, hunting safari lodges in
Chiredzi, Hwange, Magunje and Chirundu, as well as properties in South
Africa. Local properties included 75 residential and commercial stands plus
14 houses and 5 flats, all dotted around the country. Not to mention 15
vehicles.
Even when a probe team of Harare City Councillors produced a report
implicating Chombo and businessman Philip Chiyangwa in the illegal
acquisition of council land on the cheap, the police refused to investigate
the matter. Instead the councillors and journalists who covered the saga
were arrested.