Published by the government of Zimbabwe
3 November 2007
Harare — KADOMA West Member of Parliament Cde Zacharia Ziyambi was arrested on Thursday after handing himself over to police investigating the sale of cooking oil on the black market.
Police are also keen to interview Kadoma-Sanyati-Ngezi Senator Chiratidzo Gava in connection with the case.
Cde Ziyambi was yesterday still in police custody, amid revelations that police wanted to interview him along with Sen Gava.
The two legislators, however, deny the allegations.
Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka yesterday said Cde Ziyambi was still being held in Kadoma to allow police to carry out their investigations.
"He is still in custody and investigations are still in prog-ress," he said
Cde Ziyambi gave himself up at Kadoma District Police Headquarters, where senior detectives interviewed him in connection with the 10 000-litre consignment of cooking oil.
Chief Supt Mandipaka said the cooking oil was still being kept at Kadoma Police Station.
"Our specific interest is to critically examine and establish the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the 10 000 litres of cooking oil from Grafax Cotton (Private) Limited in Sanyati on the strength of a letter that was originated from a Mr Captain," he said.
The Herald understands that Grafax Cotton officials were questioned in connection with the case at Police General Headquar-ters in Harare.
Cde Ziyambi and Sen Gava are alleged to have connived to sign a letter to acquire the cooking oil from Grafax Cotton purportedly for the benefit of their constituents.
Police impounded 10 000 litres of cooking oil being offloaded in drums from a Nissan UD truck near a furniture shop in Kadoma on October 19.
One suspect, Simon Gomwe, was arrested in connection with the case and is also assisting police in their investigations.
Police conducting a crackdown on prices and illegal vending of basic commodities received a tip-off that there were people offloading large quantities of cooking oil, some of which was being sold at exorbitant prices.
The driver of the truck, identified as Mathias Mwale, alleged that he was taking the consignment to a shop at Number 7 Fairwood Crescent in Waterfalls, Harare.
Further investigations revealed that the cooking oil was to be sold at the shop at above the Government-stipulated prices.
When Waterfalls police visited the shop, they discovered that seven drums of cooking oil had already been sold.
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