Harare-Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (Monitoring and Implementation of Government Programmes) Jorum Gumbo was yesterday morning arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on criminal abuse of office charges.
The charges involving US$37 million arising from four separate incidents during his tenure as Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
Gumbo gave a warned and cautioned statement to ZACC and was later released and is expected to appear in court today.
He is first accused of corruptly facilitating the awarding of a US$33,3 million tender to Indrastemas & Homt Espana of South Africa for air traffic control equipment without following the procurement procedure.
In second charge Gumbo is alleged to have awarded his relative Mavis Gumbo a contract to rent out her house to Zimbabwe Airways.
As part of the deal, it is alleged Gumbo directed the release of US$1 million for the refurbishment of Ms Gumbo’s property and customising it into the airline’s headquarters.
Gumbo also stands accused of corruptly reinstating CMED chief executive Mr Davison Mhaka despite a disciplinary tribunal finding him guilty of misconduct after he authorised payment of US$2,7 million to a fuel company for the supply of fuel that was never delivered.
Fourthly, Gumbo is accused of disregarding the decision of the CAAZ board to fire its general manager Mr David Chawota after finding he had awarded the air traffic control equipment contract to Indrastemas &Homt Espana without following laid down procedure.
A top Zanu PF official who declined to be named said the move to arrest Gumbo should not be surprising.
“The arrest of Gumbo must not surprise people. It was always coming and expect more arrests” said the source
Gumbo becomes the second minister in to be arrested following the arrest of Prisca Mupfumira on similar charges.
