Three Zimbabwe Red Cross Officials Receive Live Bullets

This follows reports in the state owned media claiming the society’s secretary general Emma Kundishona and human resources and administration manager Nestai Chizema were arrested for “criminal abuse of duty.”

The society’s president, Lemon Shumba, said Kundishora, Chizema and programmes coordinator Calvine Matsinde received live bullets at their Braeside, Houghton Park and Westlea homes respectively.
 
“The bullets were in envelopes and this was meant to scuttle their attempts at seeing to it that justice is done regarding the matter,” Shumba said in a statement.

Kundishona and Chizema were said to be facing corruption charges after they allegedly fiddled with the relief organisation’s tender system to dispose of six vehicles.

Shumba said there could be wider problems haunting the relief organisation following the uncovering of the fraud.

He said Kundishona and Chizema were arrested on trumped up charges brought up by employees who were trying to cover up for fraud in its Mashonaland Central programmes that was detected by an internal and external audit.

The ZRCS boss said the two were “kidnapped” and detained at Harare Central Police station after indications that a Mashonaland provincial programmes officer implicated in the fraud would be hauled before a disciplinary hearing.

The case had also been handed over to the police for further investigations.

“The kidnap was obviously planned and targeted management as reflected by the release of the assistant logistic officer in town while secretary general and human resources and administration manager were detained,” he said in his statement.

“It was also well calculated to coincide with the arrival of the head of Africa zone of the International Federation of the Red Cross.

“No charge was preferred against Chizema and Kundishora or was there any statement recorded by the police. The two were just looked up in the cells without clear explanation.”

Shumba said the arresting officers were now facing a disciplinary hearing but police’s Criminal Investigations Department spokesperson Augustine Zimbili could not immediately confirm the developments.

Former ZRCS deputy president Fanuel Machiya, who is said to have lodged a complaint that led to Kundishora and Chizema’s arrest, is also accused by Shumba of stirring up the problems now dogging the society.