Operation ‘Wakazvitenga Sei” Launched For People Who Fail To Explain Their Source Of Wealth

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has launched a new operation code-named “Wakazvitenga Sei?” for individuals who fail to explain their source wealth.

ZACC chair Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo said the anti-graft body was empowered by the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act to seize assets bought through proceeds of crime.

Even if the suspected corrupt person is acquitted by the courts, the unexplained wealth orders give the commission and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) power to forfeit the properties.

Matanda-Moyo said:

This is an intensive lifestyle audit on some of the rich people.

They have to produce their invoices on what goods or services they rendered and this has to match the value of the acquired properties.

We will also be checking if these people or their businesses were paying taxes.

This means that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is also on board as we seek to ensure compliance with all laws.

The law demands that anyone suspected of corruption explain his or her source of wealth, failure of which they will lose the properties.

This comes when some former and current government officials are being accused of illegally acquiring wealth their tenure of office, at the expense of the general populace and economic growth.