A section of Kutsaga Finance department was gutted by fire last Friday with suspicions it could be have been a plot to cover up some shenanigans at the country's top tobacco research institutions.

This week, Kutsaga formerly known as the Tobacco Research Board (TRB) issued a statement informing stakeholders of the development.

"On Friday, July 28, 2023, around 12pm, Kutsaga Research encountered a fire incident at the main offices along Airport Ring Road in Harare. A portion of the administration wing of the building's first floor was damaged by fire.

"Thankfully, all staff members evacuated safely and the fire department was responsive, preventing the fire from further damaging the rest of the administration wing. The cause of the fire is still under investigation with the assistance of external experts," the company said.

However, sources at the institution who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com raised a number of allegations questioning why the fire only affected the Finance Department.

"Events taking place at this organisation are very suspicious and dramatic. The information gathered so far indicates that this fire started off in the Finance Executive Personal Assistant's Office before affecting her boss's office.

"Interestingly, I believe that this is where most of the pertinent files are kept in a development which has prompted many insiders to allege the fire was intentionally started to destroy key financial records," said one source who preferred anonymity.

Contacted for comment, Kutsaga Research Public Relations Officer Tatenda Mugabe neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.

"Since you claim to already have insider information, is there a need for me to comment further? Our position as Kutsaga is clear in the statement, whatever you decide to do with it, we leave to your discretion," he said.