CORRUPTION accused Zanu PF director of health services, Retired Colonel Stanford Chigumira, has been granted bail after appearing in court facing serious fraud charges.

Accused person was granted bail and is set to return to court on January 14, 2025.

Chigumira stands accused of soliciting a US$500 bribe from a desperate woman who wanted to secure her son's admission into the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Primary Care Nurse Training Course.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) said the State alleges that Chigumira and his accomplice Evelyn Shoniwa, who is still at large, exploited their Zanu PF medical positions, misleading Miriam Mverechena into believing they had the power to guarantee her son's place in the highly sought-after training programme, which was advertised in June 2024 by the MoHCC.

"It is the State's case that in June 2024 the Ministry of Health and Child Care placed an advertisement for the Primary Care Nurse Training Course for the September 2024 intake and Dr Chigumira connived with Shonhiwa, who is still at large to defraud unsuspecting individuals.

"The two misrepresented to Mverechena that they were responsible for recruiting youths through the Zanu PF Medical Directorate which is headed by Chigumira.

"The accused person purported that they had links with the Minister of Health and Child Care and would use their proximity to secure a place for complainant's son to train as a primary care nurse," said ZACC

Mverechena's complaint led to the arrest of Chigumira.

When Mverechena's son was not admitted, she reported the matter to the Ministry of Health and Child Care and ZACC, leading to Chigumira's arrest.