ZIMBABWE Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chairperson Loyce Matanda-Moyo has heaped blame on inept prosecutor general Kumbirai Hodzi for failing to properly prosecute corruption cases.
In a statement Tuesday, Matanda-Moyo said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was failing the commission by not prosecuting culprits.
This, she said, has resulted in a very low conviction rate.
She Zacc submitted 180 dockets to Hodzi’s office this year alone.
“The commission has surpassed the annual target of 180 dockets submitted to the NPA for prosecution. The commission remains concerned with the speed at which the cases are processed through the criminal justice system,” Matanda-Moyo said in a statement.
“We have been engaging the NPA and Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to implement necessary reforms in order to enhance public confidence in the fight against corruption.”
Matanda-Moyo said the four convictions secured in 2021 fell far short of Zacc expectations.
“The four convictions so far this year arising from our dockets fall far below our expectations given the number of high profile arrests we made during the year. We continue to engage the relevant authorities to be granted prosecution powers in order to complement the work of the NPA, without infringing on its constitutional mandate.”
Zacc, which was allocated $355 million in 2021, will get close to $1 billion in 2022. The anti-corruption body has been accused of sleeping on duty and playing politics.
Zacc has been accused of turning a blind eye on reports by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri that detail corruption and maladministration in ministries, public enterprises and local government.