Chombo calls for tighter security at Govt offices

via Chombo calls for tighter security at Govt offices | The Herald January 18, 2016

Samantha Chigogo Herald Correspondent
LAW enforcement agents must do all they can to arrest criminals who broke into Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office at the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs last week, Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, has said.

Unknown people broke into Acting President Mnangagwa’s office on Tuesday last week.

It was the fourth such break-in at the same office.

The intruders drilled a ceiling panel to gain entry into the office that is guarded 24 hours.

A crack team comprising specialists from all the country’s security agencies has been set up to investigate the case.

In an interview with The Herald, Dr Chombo said there was need to tighten security at all Government offices. “The incident that happened on Tuesday whereby the office of the Acting President was broken into is an issue of serious concern to us. As Government we have several agents from various ministries that are concerned, interested and involved with the security of senior Government officials,” he said.

Dr Chombo said police and special intelligence agents had intensified investigations.

“These agents, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police, are on the ground and making sure that thorough investigations are done,” he said.

“I can assure you that the culprits will be brought to book very soon. Work is in progress and we will update you as soon as we have something to tell the nation.”

Minister Chombo dismissed assertions that previous break-ins into Government officials’ offices had been ignored.

“In line with cases of this sort that have happened before, no we do not want to pre-empt the findings of the ZRP and other law-enforcing agents that are involved in the matter,” he said.

“But let me assure you that all our systems are busy working tirelessly to make sure that the perpetrators of this cowardly act are accounted for.” He said Government would not be swayed by concoctions by the private media.

Dr Chombo said an announcement on the matter would be made once investigations were completed. The probe team comprises the police, army and the Central Intelligence Organisation.

They are conducting scientific analysis to establish the identity of the perpetrators and their motive.

Intruders have broken into Acting President Mnangagwa’s offices six times — four times at the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, once at Defence House when he was Minister of Defence, and at his Zanu-PF Headquarters office in 2014.