Where was Chihuri as cops stole 30k ammo?

via Where was Chihuri as cops stole 30k ammo? 06 August 2014

THE opposition MDC-T party has expressed concern over national security implications posed by the theft of over 30,000 rounds of ammunition from the ZRP’s national armoury starting back in 2007 but only uncovered some seven years later.

Said the party’s Home Affairs shadow minister, Lilian Timveos: “The MDC has learnt with dismay about the thefts of a large amount of arms and ammunition from the Zimbabwe Republic Police National Armoury.

“It is such cases of blatant corruption by state officials and custodians of national resources which are destroying our economy and damaging the country’s reputation.

Chinese national Woncai Huo, 51, was recently arrested after being found with 33,216 rounds of ammunition for different rifles and pistols.

Following his arrest, Huo, revealed he had bought the cache from ZRP officers, detective assistant inspector Ananias Machingura, 40, detective constable Vengesai Hakunandaba, 47, and assistant inspector Brian Marufu, 39.

Timveos said it was incredible that it took so long to discover the racket considering the huge quantities of ammunition involved.

“That it has taken seven years to uncover this alleged racket paints a bad picture of the country’s security establishment as a whole, buttressing the MDC’s calls for reform of this crucial sector,” she said.

“Custodians of such sensitive government property cannot be allowed to sink to such shallow depths of greed, compromising the nation’s security by putting state arms and ammunition in the hands of criminals.”

“Senior ZRP officers who allowed this corruption to flourish by not doing their monitoring duties must also be brought to book,” she said.

“Many will remember the MDC-T’s recent warning about theft from state armouries, based on credible United Nations reports. We repeat the warning here and call for high-level investigations into these breaches and prosecution of all individuals involved.

“These exposures further strengthen the case for Zimbabwe acceding to the 2013 United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (A.T.T.). Zimbabwe must immediately sign and ratify the A.T.T.