Twenty-four National Social Security Authority (NSSA) executives have been sent on forced leave as the pensions body begins an investigation into alleged corruption.
The two dozen executives are believed to include NSSA’s chief finance officer Emerson Mungwariri, but general manager David Makwara is reported to have remained.
Herbert Hungwe, the chief investment officer, resigned before the suspensions.
The suspensions follow the publication of an audit report which found widespread wrongdoing at the pensions body, leading to the arrest of Prisca Mupfumira who was Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister between 2014 and 2017.
Sekai Nzenza, the new social welfare minister, said: “The board is taking necessary action based on recommendations from lawyers who unpacked the forensic audit report.
“To date, the chairman and the board have stated that all current staff who are implicated in the forensic report will be asked to go on mandatory leave for an indefinite period, to give ample time for the board to deal with the issues raised against them.
“As soon as the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether the employees should be reinstated or not.”
BDO Chartered Accountants conducted a government-ordered audit into NSSA, which has however been criticised as “incomplete” and “incompetent” by the former NSSA board chairman, Robin Vela.
The audit found that millions of dollars were lost to bad investments, executive loans and nepotism was rampant.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is leading the investigation into NSSA corruption.
