/ 20 July 2006

Police brought into Zim trade-union probe

The findings of a government probe into alleged offences by Zimbabwe’s trade union federation have been handed to the police, Harare’s Herald newspaper reported on Thursday.

Its website said Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche informed the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) of the move on Wednesday.

The ZCTU is allegedly guilty of illegally dealing in foreign currency, financial irregularities and other underhanded dealings.

After meeting the federation, Goche said he read the executive summary of the report to the ZCTU on Wednesday.

”[I] told them that the government has accepted the recommendations of the investigator and that those findings, which border on criminal activities, have now been referred to the commissioner of police for action.”

Goche said the contents of the report will soon be made public.

ZCTU president Lovemore Matombo said the federation will respond in full after getting a copy of the report.

”He called us to officially inform us about the report and read the executive summary, which gave a brief outline of the investigations,” Matombo said.

”He promised to provide the report to us, so until then, that is when we are able to respond.”

Matombo described the allegations against the labour union as ”wishy washy”.

”There is nothing new. There is nothing to be happy about,” Matombo said. — Sapa