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Ishemunyoro Chingwere Business Reporter
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is targeting to recover $73,5 million from its employees in 389 corruption cases it is investigating.

This follows lavish lifestyles some of the officers lead amid reports the majority of them might be facilitating illegal importation of vehicles and other contraband.

The corruption probe and lifestyle audit cases started in September this year.

The revenue identified for recovery came from the investigation of 389 corruption cases, 217 of which have already been concluded.

The investigations centred on hotline tip offs and lifestyle audits that all Zimra staff members are subjected to.

The statistics are contained in the tax collector’s revenue performance report for the quarter ended September 30 in which it says it expects to exceed revised revenue target of $18,6 billion with cumulative revenues for the first nine months of the year at $11,48 billion.

Collections for the third quarter, surpassed the $6 billion target and totalled $6,59 billion.

Zimra vice board chairperson Josephine Matambo, said the fight against corruption is being intensified and that the tax collector was collaborating with other law enforcement and security agencies such as Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and the National Prosecuting Authority.

She also noted that there had been successes in property seizures under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act with most corrupt individuals having lost houses and motor vehicles whose source they fail to account for satisfactorily.

“Zimra’s fight against corruption and smuggling is being intensified through collaborative partnerships with other government law enforcement agencies such as Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and the National Prosecuting Authority,” she said.

“In October 2019, the authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), whose objective is to provide a framework for the two organisations to jointly work together in the fight against corruption.

“Over and above fighting corruption, Zimra is now intensifying corruption prevention measures. The authority has started scoring successes in property seizures under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act particularly houses and motor vehicles.

“Seizing all proceeds of corruption and prosecuting the offenders will reinforce the zero tolerance to Corruption,” she said.

Government has identified corruption, together with other drawbacks like sanctions, as part of the biggest threats towards the quest to revive the economy and achieve upper middle income earning status by 2030 as expounded by President Mnangagwa under Vision 2030.

President Mnangagwa is on record pledging the second republic’s commitment to root out corruption in Government and all its agencies.