University VC arrested over Grace Mugabe's 'fake' PhD

Zimbambe former first lady Grace Mugabe

Zimbabwean leading university lecturer was on Friday arrested by anti-corruption investigators over a controversial doctorate awarded to country’s former first lady Grace Mugabe.

The arrest of Levi Nyagura, the vice chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe came following an investigation by the commission into the PhD.

It’s alleged, Grace Mugabe who graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2014 was awarded the degree by the university after just months of study.

Last year, academics from Zimbabwe University petitioned to have her doctorate nullified saying proper procedures were not followed in the award.

The controversial award of doctorate, which is now the subject of a fraud investigation, was posted online last month, four years later she was awarded.

Standard Digital has seen a copy of the 226-page doctoral thesis, titled "The Changing Social Structure and Functions of the Family".

The work, submitted under Grace's maiden name, was dedicated to "the President of Zimbabwe Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe because of his dedication and commitment to the well-being of Zimbabweans".

In the 80,000-word submission, Grace goes into detail about a children's home that bears her name.

"The home was my brain child. The main objective was to provide care for the abandoned, orphaned and vulnerable children," she wrote.