Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s new President has opened a three-month amnesty window for the return of public funds looted by individuals and companies and illegally stashed abroad.
Mnangagwa said in a statement released on Tuesday that upon the expiration of the amnesty at the end of February 2018, the government will arrest and prosecute those who would have failed to comply.
The country’s former Minister of Finance Ignatius Chombo, was on Monday charged with three counts of corruption in offences that allegedly took place as far back as two decades ago. He was denied bail on Monday and will remain in custody until his case is heard on December 8. Chombo, who faces charges including trying to defraud the central bank, was detained after the military seized power in “Operation Restore Legacy”, which it said was meant to remove “criminals” around former president Robert Mugabe.
His lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, told reporters that he would appeal the magistrate’s ruling in the High Court on Tuesday. “We are hopeful that the High Court will show independence,” Madhuku said. The magistrate who detained Chombo said the former minister could abscond, influence state witnesses or be the target of a mob attack over the allegations that he abused his position.
Chombo, who was appointed Minister Of Finance in October, was among members of the G40 political faction allied to Mugabe and his wife, Grace, who were also expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party.
Two ousted ZANU-PF Youth League leaders, Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe, who were both allied to G-40, were also ordered to be detained until Dec. 8. Some supporters of new president Emmerson Mnangagwa have called for unspecified action against G40 but Mnangagwa has urged citizens not to undertake any form of “vengeful retribution”.
