Zimbabwe’s health minister has been charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, accused of illegally awarding a multimillion-dollar contract for Covid-19 testing kits, drugs and personal protective equipment to a shadowy company.
The country’s anti-corruption agency arrested Obadiah Moyo on Friday as the scandal rocked the country and played out on social media, where some local journalists exposed how Moyo allegedly chose the company to sell medical supplies to the government at inflated prices that included face masks for 28 dollars (£22) each.
The government cancelled the contracts following public uproar.
One of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sons was forced to issue a statement denying a link to the company after pictures emerged of the Zimbabwean representative of the firm enjoying the company of the president and his wife and sons at several events.
Nguwaya is accused of lying in saying the company was a drugs manufacturing firm based in Switzerland, “whereas it was merely a consulting company with no experience in the manufacture of drug and medical products”, according to the charge sheet.
The health minister, a former hospital administrator, faces a fine or up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
He was granted bail and will be back in court on July 31.
The prosecution originally opposed bail, arguing he could flee before the conclusion of the case, but did not request that in court.
According to the charge sheet, Moyo “exerted pressure” on his subordinates to award the contracts worth 60 million dollars (£48 million) last year and this year.
They argue that inflation that is now above 750% and the erosion of the value of the local currency have rendered incomes worthless.
Most traders charge for their goods in US dollars in the southern African country, which has long faced economic collapse.
Health professionals have also complained about lack of adequate protective gear as the number of coronavirus cases rises.
Zimbabwe has nearly 500 cases.
