A senior officer at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Raymore Tafadzwa Machingura, is facing a storm of allegations over corruption, abuse of office, and unexplained wealth amid claims that he has been invoking the name of a powerful ZANU PF politician to shield himself from accountability.
According to a dossier seen by ZiMetro News and corroborated by insider sources, Machingura has been subjected to multiple internal disciplinary hearings over the years, but no decisive action has ever been taken against him.
A whistleblower within ZIMRA claimed the officer often “boasts openly” that his political ties protect him from any consequences, fuelling suspicions of political interference in internal disciplinary processes.
Documents reviewed indicate that Raymore Tafadzwa Machingura allegedly failed to fully declare substantial assets as required under ZIMRA regulations. The assets, critics argue, appear far beyond what his known salary and benefits could reasonably support.
“Machingura’s lifestyle doesn’t tally with his earnings. The source of his wealth remains questionable,” a ZIMRA insider told ZiMetro News.
The dossier further alleges that during his stints at major border posts—Plumtree, Mutare, Beitbridge, and Bulawayo—Machingura exploited his positions to facilitate illicit dealings. These stations are historically considered high-risk for smuggling and corruption.
“Each time he was transferred, the same cycle repeated—suspicious wealth accumulation and no action taken,” the source alleged.
The most explosive claim is that Machingura has repeatedly name-dropped a senior ZANU PF politician from Chipinge Central, telling colleagues that his political “protection” ensures immunity from any consequences.
This has reportedly created unease among ZIMRA staff, many of whom now question whether the agency’s disciplinary procedures are being undermined by political influence.
In response to ZiMetro News, Machingura denied all allegations, dismissing them as malicious and baseless.
“These are false claims being spread by a bitter relative. I implore you to verify the facts before publishing such damaging accusations,” he said.
On reports of misconduct hearings, he replied:
“I kindly refer you to ZIMRA HQ. I am not aware of any hearings involving me.”
Asked about allegations of undeclared assets, he insisted his records were clean:
“My declarations are in order. You can request them from ZIMRA if you wish. There is nothing I have failed to declare.”
Responding to accusations of irregular dealings at border posts, he challenged:
“Kindly tell me of any specific irregular dealing that I was involved in and I will respond.”
Machingura also denied relying on political protection:
“I do not need any political cover. You can check with ZIMRA if anyone has ever interfered with their processes.”
He maintained that his wealth was legitimate, claiming it was built over years of business ventures:
“I am open to any verification. I have long-established businesses that predate my ZIMRA appointment in 2010.”
Attempts to get an official response from ZIMRA’s communications department were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
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