ZIMBABWE: Fresh trouble as former finance minister faces new corruption charges

Embattled former Zimbabwe finance minister Ignatius Chombo now has more trouble to contend with after he was slammed with fresh corruption charges by a graft watchdog.

According to the lawyer of the former minister, Lovemore Madhuku, his client was accused by the graft watchdog of criminal abuse of office and said he illegally resettled people affected by a government clean-up operation on privately-owned land in Harare and then demanded a bribe from the owner to remove the people.

Madhuku said Chombo was initially detained by the military when it seized power in “Operation Restore Legacy”, which it said was meant to remove the “criminals” around Mugabe. His lawyer said he was beaten in detention.

Read also: Again, Zimbabwe court postpones bail hearing for former finance minister

Chombo is also facing separate charges of corruption including defrauding the central bank dating back two decades. He was set free on bail a week ago.

The former finance minister was slammed with charges of corruption and abuse of power related to his earlier tenure as minister of local government, public works and urban development.

He was among members of the G40 political faction allied to 93-year-old Mugabe and his wife, Grace, who were also expelled from the ruling ZANU-PF party.

 

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