By Christopher Makaza

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) will not tire to investigate corruption and making arrests, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo has said.

Speaking during the commissioning of the specialised Anti-Corruption Courts in Mashonaland East and Central provinces last week, the ZACC Chairperson also urged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to diligently prosecute cases.

“The National Prosecuting Authority on its part must always stand ready to diligently prosecute cases and the courts to play their adjudicative role without fear or favour until the whole of Zimbabwe is rid of corruption,” she said.

Justice Matanda-Moyo highlighted that the commission has seriously shifted focus to actions that would yield results.

“Against that objective, the commission revamped its docket management system to avoid unmerited acquittals, is finalising the creation of an anonymous tip-off platform for reporting corruption, has submitted the proposal for a whistle –blower framework in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, widened and enhanced the powers of its officers as peace officers through statutory instrument 143 of 2019,” she said.

She said one of the worst effects of corruption was the plundering of national resources by those engaging in the vice adding that even those acts of economic crime that occur cross border still have a local effect.

“For this reason the commission is making concerted efforts to recover proceeds of corruption laundered in regional and offshore hideouts. In pursuits of this, the commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Anti-Corruption Commission of Zambia on 17 October 2019,” she said.

Justice Matanda-Moyo said that the agreement entailed collaboration with their ZACC counterparts in joint investigations, mutual assistance, the exchange of crime intelligence, the recovery of proceeds of crime and exchange of skilled personnel among other issues.