President Emmerson Mnangagwa has mandated a comprehensive investigation into criminal incidents targeting his family, including re-opening the stalled probe into the 2018 grenade attack that nearly killed him at White City Stadium.
Mnangagwa, now in his second and final term as president, is increasingly concerned about his security following a series of breaches, some involving his family members. The 81-year-old president has directed police chief Godwin Matanga to identify the suspects, fearing the incidents might be connected.
A source familiar with the situation said, “He wants answers from the security arms of the state, starting with unravelling what happened at White City.”
On Tuesday, police released an image of a man suspected to be involved in the grenade attack, although they claimed he was wanted for fraud involving US$300,000. A US$10,000 reward is being offered for his positive identification. ZimLive has learned that the man’s picture was circulated to all police stations in 2018 and 2019 but he was never positively identified. Police also had the image published in the state-run Chronicle newspaper, claiming the man was being sought by a desperate relative.
The suspect was identified after investigators reviewed hours of video footage from various news organizations, which allegedly showed the man changing his clothing, including his cap and T-shirt. Mnangagwa previously stated he knew who was behind the attack, which killed two Central Intelligence Organisation agents and wounded 47 others, including Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Defense Minister Oppah Muchinguri.
The grenade was thrown at the VIP tent as Mnangagwa exited the stage. Witnesses claimed it would have landed within a meter of Mnangagwa but ricocheted off a tent mounting and changed direction.
On July 12, police launched an investigation after Mnangagwa’s plane, flying him home from Mozambique, was targeted by lasers aimed at blinding the pilots during their approach to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. This incident followed bizarre break-ins at the private homes of Mnangagwa and his son, Deputy Finance Minister David Mnangagwa, as well as the government office of his nephew, Deputy Tourism Minister Tongai Mnangagwa.
In March, Mnangagwa dismissed Air Force Chief Elson Moyo after an aborted landing at Victoria Falls International Airport due to a bomb scare emailed by someone signing off as “John Doe.” A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of a South African man found with bullets in his backpack, but he was released after no link to the email threat was established.
Now, an increasingly paranoid Mnangagwa is calling for a special task force to investigate all the incidents to determine if there is a connection. The assignment has been given to detectives from Harare Central Police Station’s Law and Order section, who will coordinate with other agencies in the hunt for suspects.
Source – ZimLive