A senior officer at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Raymore Tafadzwa Machingura is facing mounting allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and illicit accumulation of wealth, amid claims he has been invoking the name of a prominent ZANU PF politician to protect himself from accountability.
According to a dossier seen by this publication and corroborated by a close source, Machingura has appeared before multiple internal hearings over the years, yet no decisive disciplinary action has been taken.
The source, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, alleged that Machingura “openly boasts” that his actions are shielded by political connections.
Documents reviewed indicate that Machingura allegedly failed to declare substantial assets as required under ZIMRA regulations.
The accumulation of such assets has raised questions within the authority, with critics arguing that the wealth appears disproportionate to his known earnings.
The source further alleged that Machingura leveraged his positions at key border posts to engage in illicit dealings.
He reportedly worked at Plumtree, Mutare, Beitbridge, and Bulawayo border stations locations often flagged for smuggling and corruption risks.
“Each time he was transferred, the same pattern followed , unexplained wealth, and no consequences,” the source claimed.
The dossier also claims that Machingura frequently name-drops a ZANU PF official from Chipinge Central, telling colleagues that his “protection” ensures no action will ever be taken against him.
This has fueled speculation within ZIMRA about political interference in internal disciplinary processes.
In response to questions from this publication, Raymore Tafadzwa Machingura dismissed the allegations as malicious and unfounded, suggesting they were driven by personal disputes.
“I implore you to do your verifications first to ensure factual reporting. These are baseless accusations being driven by a bitter and jealous relative,” he said.
On the alleged misconduct hearings, Machingura stated:
“I kindly refer you to our ZIMRA HQ and enquire about the alleged misconduct hearings. I do not know of any.”
Regarding the purported undeclared properties, he maintained that his records were in order:
“I kindly request you to request for a copy of my asset declaration from ZIMRA and advise of any that are not declared. Again, I do not know of any.”
On claims of irregular dealings at border posts, he responded:
“There is nothing specific to respond to on this one. Kindly tell me of any specific irregular dealing that I was involved in and I will respond.”
Dismissing suggestions of political protection, Machingura said:
“I do not need any protection, but again you can verify with ZIMRA if anyone has interfered with their processes.”
He further insisted that his wealth was legitimate, built over years of business:
“I am open to any verifications concerning my sources of income. I have long established businesses that started even before my appointment at ZIMRA. You may request for my asset declaration at my time of inception (2010).”
Efforts to obtain an official comment from ZIMRA’s communications department were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
