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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has fired Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) commissioner, Frank Muchengwa for gross misconduct.

His dismissal follows release of findings by a tribunal set to inquire into his removal from office as a Zacc commissioner.

He was sworn-in in July 2019 after undergoing public interviews by Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee.

The commission completed its mandate last week and presented its recommendations in writing to President Mnangagwa, in terms of the Constitution.

The tribunal was chaired by retired Justice Nicholas Ndou and included Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Virginia Mabiza, Dr Tarisai Mutangi and Ms Tecla Mapota, and formally presented its findings to the President yesterday.

Mrs Virginia Mabiza

The tribunal was initially given five months to complete its task with an option for extension of the period. Last September, President Mnangagwa extended the tenure of the tribunal by six months to March 2022.

In a statement yesterday, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said the tribunal reported its findings to President Mnangagwa and recommended that Commissioner Muchengwa be removed from office for acts of gross misconduct.

Mr Nick Mangwana

“The tribunal has reported its findings to His Excellency, the President Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa, and has recommended that Commissioner Muchengwa be removed from office for acts of gross misconduct,” he said.

“Accordingly, His Excellency the President, acting in terms of Section 187 (8) of the Constitution, has removed Commissioner Muchengwa from office with immediate effect,” said Mr Mangwana.

The tribunal inquiry 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 may deem appropriate and relevant to the inquiry.

Section 237(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that a member of an independent commission may be removed from office only on the ground that the member concerned has been guilty of gross misconduct.

Zacc is chaired by Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo and its commissioners include Ms Jessie Majome, Mr John Makamure, Ms Thandiwe Mlobane, Mr Michael Santi, Mr Kuziva Murapa, Mr Gabriel Chaibva and Ms Mabel Hungwe.

Justice Loice Matanda Moyo

Commissioner Muchengwa is a retired Superintendent who served the Zimbabwe Republic Police for 32 years. He once headed the ZRP’s Commercial Crimes Unit. — @mashnets