Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) will only effect arrests where concrete evidence links suspects to criminal wrongdoing.
Zacc chairperson, Mr Michael Reza, said this as he sought to dispel public perceptions that the commission is failing to fulfil its mandate.
Speaking during an engagement with the business community in Victoria Falls recently, Mr Reza said Zacc operates strictly within the confines of the law and cannot act on mere allegations or public sentiment.
“We cannot, for example, investigate matters of rape or armed robbery or murder. Those are not our mandated crimes. We investigate corruption, fraud, deception and criminal abuse of office, among others,” he said.
Mr Reza acknowledged the negative perceptions surrounding Zacc, particularly in relation to Zimbabwe’s performance on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
“The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is just what it is, a perception. Zacc is a creature of statute, which means that it can only do things that the law allows it to do. The CPI is based on opinion, not facts. People may believe a certain individual should be arrested, but unless there is evidence that will stand up in court, we cannot act,” he said.
He reiterated that Zacc will not make baseless arrests simply to satisfy public opinion or speculation.
“What people should know is that the law is what it is, not what it ought to be. We can all agree that certain things should happen, but unless the law agrees that such a thing happens, it cannot happen,” said Mr Reza.
He also acknowledged that the commission’s strict adherence to due process might not always be popular with the public, but maintained that justice must be evidence-driven.
“We are often told to arrest certain individuals. If we want to be heroes, we can arrest them, but those cases will collapse because there is no evidence. No complainant has come forward, no documents implicate the accused. So, we wait until we have a strong case,” said Mr Reza.
Mr Reza also revealed that Zacc is actively engaging the Government to strengthen anti-corruption legislation, especially around the protection of whistleblowers, who often suffer retaliation after reporting corruption.
“One of the things that we are required to do, besides enforcing regulations, is that whenever we feel that there are shortfalls or certain things that need to be attended to, we make appropriate recommendations to the Government,” he said.
He said the proposed Whistleblower Protection Bill, which seeks to shield those who expose graft, has completed internal processes and is now with the Ministry of Justice, awaiting presentation in Parliament.
“We went to the Government and told them that we have a problem that witnesses are being threatened. For example, if an employee at a particular organisation reports corruption, they are either transferred, dismissed, or generally harassed,” said Mr Reza.
“So, there is a need for witness or whistleblower protection. As things stand, all the processes have been done. The Bill is with the Ministry of Justice now, awaiting going to Parliament,” he said.
Despite public criticism, Mr Reza expressed confidence in Zacc’s operational capacity, saying the commission has received sufficient Government support, enabling it to carry out investigations efficiently.
“Furthermore, the Government has supported us with resources, and whenever we need them, we get them,” he said. —@nyeve14
