As the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo recently showered praise at whistle-blowers for their role in the fight against corruption, social commentators have said that it is shocking following the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to proceed with the trial of Harare businessman George Katsimberis who is a witness and an accused on the same set of facts.
In a statement last week the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson, Loice Matanda-Moyo said the business of clamping down on corruption in the country was going to be a tough proposition without the input of whistle-blowers.
“ZACC has managed to make 103 arrests for corruption in 2021 alone. Seventy-nine (79) dockets from these arrests have already been submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution.
“Without the whistle-blowers, ZACC would not have achieved these figures.”
The ZACC chair also said that there is a legal vacuum, whistle blowers are being harassed and there must be a law which fully protects them.
“As the world commemorates this important day, ZACC urges policymakers to expedite the enactment of the whistle-blowers legislation. Already, ZACC has received reports of victimisation of whistle-blowers that are vital to the nation’s fight against corruption.
“The Commission is advocating for the necessary policy and legal environment that fully protects whistle-blowers.
“Part of these efforts include drafting a Lay Bill which has been submitted to the Attorney General’s Office. We are fully confident that this piece of legislation will be enacted into law sooner rather than later.
“ZACC has come up with an online whistle-blower reporting application to ensure that whistle-blowers are able to report corruption.
“The application is designed to ensure full anonymity of the whistle-blowers. This year alone, the Commission has received 88 anonymous reports on corrupt activities via this platform.
“To the whistle-blowers, always remember that speaking up against corruption is crucial for a just world,” reads the statement.
Matanda-Moyo emphasised that whistle-blowers played a big part in the arrest of 103 corruption accused persons in the past six months.
Katsimberis reported the then City of Harare Town Clerk Hosia Chisango, Engineer Isaiah Chawatama as well as Augur Investments owner Kenneth Raydon Sharpe and his ally Michael John Van Blerk among others for malicious damage to property.
He is now in trouble as the accused persons in his case turned around and reported him for fraud using the same set of facts.
In his letter to NPA, Head of the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) in the office of the President, Tabani Mpofu expressed concern that a witness lined up to testify on behalf of the state was being charged on the same facts.
“SACU is deeply concerned that a witness who is lined up to testify on behalf of the state, that is George Katsimberis is now being charged on the same facts and the accused persons in his case are now witnesses in a case against him.
“In these two cases that are referred herein above the state appears to allege a particular fact on one hand and also alleging the opposite and charge its own witness. The efforts of combating corruption can be put in jeopardy if cases are handled in this way,” SACU said.
Katsimberis reported Chisango and his accomplices after, without a court order they destroyed a show house he built at the corner of Teviotdale and Whitwell Road, Borrowdale as part of a botched joint venture agreement with Sharpe.
Now he has to content standing in the dock as an accused person after Sharpe reported him back for fraud claiming that he used substandard material to construct the show house.