Government strips criminals of assets worth US$51 million
The Government, through the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), has seized and frozen more than US$51 million in illicit wealth over the past year and has vowed to crack down on unscrupulous gold dealers and smugglers.
According to latest official figures, the Asset Forfeiture Unit and the International Cooperation Unit secured court orders totalling US$51 200 000.
Overall, the courts granted US$18 900 000 in preservation orders, which are temporary freezes designed to prevent suspects from liquidating or hiding assets while investigations are ongoing.
An additional US$32 300 000 was secured through final forfeiture orders, representing assets permanently stripped from offenders and surrendered to the State.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Deputy Prosecutor-General Mr Chris Mutangadura affirmed the NPAZ’s commitment to asset recovery, declaring that the authority is now prioritising the transition of preserved assets into final forfeiture.
“Our initial target for final asset forfeiture orders was US$45 million; we successfully secured US$32,3 million. Our immediate priority now is to bridge this gap by converting all current preservation orders — totalling US$18,9 million — into permanent court orders. We really need to ramp up our recovery numbers by turning those temporary seizures into actual forfeitures,” he revealed.
He warned individuals with unexplained wealth that the net is closing in on them, adding that the target for asset recovery this year is at least US$50 million.
“This year, our target is to recover at least $50 million. We have set an acceptable variance of plus or minus US$5 million, so we are looking to land somewhere between US$45 million and US$55 million.
“Our message is clear: If you can’t account for your wealth, we are coming for it. We are mainly targeting gold dealers and smugglers.”
Prosecutor-General Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo recently vowed to make asset recovery a central pillar in the fight against corruption.
“In 2026, the NPAZ will be more aggressive with regards to cases submitted by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Police Anti-Corruption Unit,” Justice Matanda-Moyo said.
“Through the NPAZ’s commitment to effective prevention and robust asset recovery, we will ensure that what was stolen from the nation is returned to the nation. Let us reaffirm our commitment today that these cases will be handled with the highest professional integrity, and evidence will be presented with the precision and quality required to secure convictions. We are here to ensure that crime does not pay, and that justice serves as the bedrock of our economy.”
Asset recovery refers to the legal process through which the State identifies, traces, freezes, confiscates and ultimately forfeits property that is either the direct proceeds of crime or was acquired using criminal proceeds.
This includes cash, vehicles, houses and businesses, even where the assets are held by third parties or concealed through complex financial structures.
Under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, courts may issue preservation orders to prevent suspects from disposing of property during investigations, followed by forfeiture orders that permanently transfer the assets to the State once they are proven to be tainted by criminality. *_-Herald_*
