By Political Reporter- In a continuing campaign against former allies of the late President Robert Mugabe, former Deputy Minister Reuben Marumahoko has been arrested on allegations of fraud.
Marumahoko, who served in several portfolios under Mugabe’s administration, was taken into custody on Monday and spent the night behind bars pending a ruling on his bail application.
The late President Mugabe ally, once held deputy roles in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, and Regional Integration and International Cooperation.
He was brought before Magistrate Nyasha Marufu whose court agreed to defer the ruling on his bail, with the State arguing that Marumahoko could be a flight risk and might interfere with witnesses.
Prosecutors noted that he delayed turning himself over to authorities after learning they sought him for questioning, raising concerns about his commitment to cooperate.
Marumahoko’s wife, Andy Maririmba, was also arrested on similar charges over the weekend, adding another dimension to the case.
Authorities allege that Marumahoko fraudulently applied for inputs, including seed, fertilizers, and chemicals intended for planting 200 hectares of irrigated maize under the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) joint venture program.
Instead, he reportedly cultivated only 46 hectares and sold the surplus inputs, profiting at the expense of ARDA, which was allegedly defrauded of over $37,950.
According to court documents, he received 2.5 tonnes of maize seed, 1,300 bags of Compound D fertilizer, and a variety of chemicals under the program.
The crackdown on Marumahoko is part of a broader trend since the 2017 military-assisted coup that removed Mugabe from office and installed Emmerson Mnangagwa as president.
Mnangagwa has since targeted many of Mugabe’s former allies, particularly those perceived as resistant to the new administration’s authority.
While some view these arrests as an effort to combat corruption, others see them as politically motivated moves aimed at consolidating Mnangagwa’s power by purging loyalists of the former president.
Since taking office, Mnangagwa’s government has prosecuted multiple figures from Mugabe’s inner circle, many of whom were once pillars of Zanu PF during Mugabe’s reign.
Among these were ministers, party officials, and influential business figures who once wielded significant power and resources but have been gradually sidelined or arrested in recent years.