A senior operative in the national spy agency, the CIO, TICHAFA Victor Hwacha, was fired recently, according to a report by online media house The NewsHawks.
Hwacha, a deputy director within the Counter Intelligence unit of the Central Intelligence Organisation was fired on Wednesday this week for allegedly working with a cartel in the gold sector and undermining the First Family.
He is reportedly a relative of the President, hailing from Shurugwi. It is understood that he is linked to a syndicate of gold dealers and influential officers in the Prosecutor-General’s office.
The top spy, sources said, is also reportedly linked to suspended CID boss Crispen Charumbira.
Last month, Charumbira was charged with defeating the course of justice after he allegedly ordered the release of an illegal gold dealer.
However, other sources said that Hwacha was sacked for talking bad things about the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her son Collins Mnangagwa, in the ongoing gold scandal involving Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation president Ms Henrietta Rushwaya.
“The naturally overzealous CIO operative was dismissed for being the brains behind the soiling of the First Family’s name in the Rushwaya gold smuggling saga. The vocal senior officer was caught pants down bashing the First Lady and her children in an unguarded speech scenario,” reports The NewsHawks.
Rushwaya is facing a charge of attempting to smuggle six kilogrammes of the precious metal to Dubai via Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
Allegations against Charumbira are that sometime in June 2019 detectives from the minerals unit arrested one David Mucheche in Mutare for contravening a section of the Gold Trade Act after he was found in possession of gold without a licence.
Court papers show that the detectives allegedly escorted Mucheche to Mutare Central Police Station and on arrival the detectives briefed their officer-in-charge, Inspector Felix Machaka, about the arrest.
While briefing Machaka, the court papers further show gold dealer David Crobsy entered the office talking on the phone and he handed it to Machaka advising him that Charumbira wanted to talk to him.
Prosecutors alleged that Charumbira unlawfully directed Machaka to release Mucheche without confirmation of the existence of a licence, recording the exhibit in any official book and without pressing any changes against him as well as not ordering the return of the gold to Mucheche.
It is alleged that Machaka complied with the order and the suspect was released. Charumbira’s instructions were allegedly unlawful, according to the state.
The top CID detective was first arrested by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (Sacu) in September after his subordinates alleged that he was interfering with their duties by protecting drug and gold dealers after accepting bribes.
More: The NewsHawks
