The Sunday Mail
The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC) has engaged the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in a bid to stop the taxman from garnishing its bank account over unpaid taxes and allowances dating back to 2009.
ZACC says Zimra’s action was crippling its operations.
The commission has failed to carry out its mandate since August last year as a result of the garnishee order which has left its coffers dry.
ZACC acting secretary Mr Silence Pondo last week said; “Zimra has since garnished US$5 million from our bank account and we have been left in red. It has since become difficult for us as a commission to fulfil our mandate.
“We have since engaged Zimra to stop the garnishee order. We hope the engagement process will yield results.”
Appearing before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs recently ZACC general manager responsible for finance Mr Christopher Chisango said the decision by Zimra to issue a garnishee order against them was misguided since they were paid by the government.
He told the committee that they were entitled to non taxable allowances just like other government employees.
“Employees of ZACC are paid by government but Zimra said we are a statutory body, hence allowances should be taxed so they garnished US$5 million and left us with nothing,” he said.
Mr Pondo said government should immediately appoint commissioners so that the commission can resume investigations on corrupt activities.
ZACC commissioners’ contracts were terminated in August last year.
The commission was set up during the inclusive government era to probe corrupt cases in both the public and private sectors.
It was also empowered to direct the Commissioner General of Police to investigate suspected cases of corruption and give feedback to the commission in regards to the investigation.
