Zimbabwe health minister charged in coronavirus corruption case

Scandal comes while health professionals are striking in country

The Zimbabw (AFP via Getty Images)

The Zimbabwean health minister has been charged in a case looking at government contracts awarded during the coronavirus pandemic.

Obadiah Moyo appeared in court on Saturday over allegations he illegally handed a contract for Covid-19 testing kits, drugs and personal protective equipment to a shadowy company.

He has now been charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

The former hospital administrator was arrested by the national anti-corruption agency on Friday – the day before his court appearance.

Local journalists exposed how the health minister allegedly chose the company to sell medical supplies to the government at inflated prices that included face masks for 28 dollars (£22) each.

The government cancelled the contracts following public outcry.

The health minister could be fined or face up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted.

According to the charge sheet, Mr Moyo "exerted pressure" on his subordinates to award the contracts worth 60 million dollars (£48 million) last year and this year.

One of the Zimbabwean president’s sons was forced to issue a statement denying a link to the company involved after pictures emerged of the Zimbabwean representative of the firm with Emmerson Mnangagwa and his wife and sons at several events.

The representative, Delish Nguwaya, and some top officials of the national drugs procurement agency are already facing criminal charges related to the scandal.

Mr Nguwaya is accused of lying in saying the company was a drugs manufacturing company based in Switzerland, “whereas it was merely a consulting company with no experience in the manufacture of drug and medical products”, according to the charge sheet.

The scandal comes as health professionals including nurses and doctors in Zimbabwe are on strike demanding to be paid their salaries in US dollars.

They argue that inflation that is now above 750 per cent and the erosion of the value of the local currency have rendered incomes worthless.

The health professionals have also complained about lack of adequate protective gear as the number of coronavirus cases rises.

Zimbabwe has reported around 460 infections to date, according to a Reuters global count.

Meanwhile, the official death toll stood at 4 on Saturday.

Additional reporting by Associated Press