Grace, Robert Mugabe mentioned by report among 56 most corrupt individuals

A regional anti-corruption watchdog - Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT) has named
Zimbabwe's veteran ruler President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace among the country's top 56 corrupt individuals.


In a report  titled "Corruption Cases: Lest We Forget: Bad Leadership Examples for Accountability, Transparency and Integrity in Zimbabwe", Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa said according to their findings the Mugabes and senior Zanu PF officials have fleeced the southern African country of billions of dollars.


ACT-Southern Africa regional coordinator Alouis Munyaradzi Chaumba says all corruption cases which are packed in the courts should be revisited and all culprits prosecuted.
"The impression created is that they are above the law. All these cases should be investigated or else we are going to compel them to do so through the courts of law," he said.
The ACT-Southern Africa report highlights cases that include: Diamond Scandals, the looting of the War Victims Compensation Fund, the VIP Housing Scam, the Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO) scandal, the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) scandal, the Kondozi Estate looting, the Willowvale scandal, the fertiliser input scandal, the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM) scandal, and the Harare Airport Extension scandal.
According to the reports, whose findings where complied by studying media reports in post-independence implicates Mugabe in the $7 billion Harare International airport expansion deal in 1999.
Mugabe's case came to light after a Saudi national, Hani Yamani, owner of Air Harbour Technologies (AHT) - a company that Mugabe seconded to win the tender to expand the airport - wrote to him in July 1999 complaining of "excessive kickbacks".
"Alongside the construction of the airport terminal, AHT funded the construction of a private residence for President Mugabe. Furthermore, Yamani donated $50 000 to Zanu PF and made payments to two senior cabinet ministers," the report reads.
Grace Mugabe is cited in the controversial VIP housing project in 1995 when she, alongside top Zanu PF hawks, allegedly grabbed houses meant for low-earning civil servants in the "pay-for your-house scheme".
Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa says most of the case were not investigated as enquiries were kept under wraps by the government to allegedly protect corrupt officials.