Senior Reporter
The National Prosecuting Authority’s, (NPA), decision to acquit Harare City Council, (HCC), top executives in a US$9 million street lights scandal has opened a can of worms, this publication can reveal.
The anti-graft body,Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission(ZACC), has flagged down the acquittal of Chisango (Town Clerk), Never Murerwa Supply Chain Manager), Denford Zhungu (Principal Accountant), Tawanda Mutenhabundo (Engineering Technician), and Artkins Mandaza (Principal Contracts Administrator) insisting on preferring new charges for the quintet.
However, the NPA boss, Loice Matanda-Moyo, has called ZACC to order saying everything was done above board.
A ZACC officer who requested anonymity argued that the NPA boss’ revelations in the local daily paper exposed her institution.
“If you read carefully what she said with regards to this matter you can see some inconsistencies…At one point Matanda is saying NPA had scheduled meeting with ZACC to discuss over the case while at the same time it had already freed the HCC officials. Why didn’t they meet with us the investigators before arriving at the ridiculous decision,” queried the ZACC investigation officer.
Investigations by this paper reveal that NPA is at sixes and sevens to explain why it exonerated the 5 leaving only a ‘junior’ Harare City Council Principal Buyer, Jabulani Mukomazi to face charges.
“The whole thing stinks of high level corruption. How can one explain why the chief accounting officer Chisango and acolytes can be set free in this street lights scandal leaving a junior official to face trial. You can delegate authority but responsibility lies with he who endorses and in this case it is the accounting officer,( Chisango), it’s as simple as that.
“How did Mukomazi bypass his superiors in approving a tender with such an astronomical figure, this does not make sense at all,”said a source close to the development.
It has since emerged that even some members of the commission of inquiry are complicit in the matter.
“There are reports of two commissioners(name supplied) who are coercing senior Harare City executives to smuggle back Chisango at Town House,” revealed another source who requested anonymity.
There are also claims of the chairperson of the commission of inquiry Justice Cheda being a friend of High Court Judge Kwenda who presided over the matter.
This has validated concerns that Mayor Jacob Mafume is being targeted by the Justice Cheda-chaired commission for blocking the reinstatement of Chisango and his acolytes.
The matter comes after Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume was grilled over his residence, and state of affairs at the Council’s Harare Quarry firm recently.