HARARE – The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) says it will press fresh criminal charges against former Harare Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango and four city executives who were recently acquitted in a US$9 million streetlights tender scandal.
Chisango, Never Murerwa (Supply Chain Manager), Denford Zhungu (Principal Accountant), Tawanda Mutenhabundo (Engineering Technician), and Artkins Mandaza (Principal Contracts Administrator) had charges against them withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) before plea last Friday.
In a statement, ZACC insists Chisango and the four are criminally liable for the fraudulent awarding of the tender to Juluka Endo, a company owned by businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe who are currently in remand prison over the same case.
The NPA withdrew charges against five accused persons and only indicted Harare City Council Principal Buyer, Jabulani Mukomazi.
“ZACC respects the position taken by the NPA and acknowledges that it is the mandate of the prosecuting authority to institute and manage criminal prosecutions in Zimbabwe.
“The Commission however, maintains that the accused persons are criminally liable for the fraudulent awarding of the tender and should defend their actions in court.
“Accordingly, ZACC is looking into the matter and will be preferring new charges against the five accused persons,” ZACC said in a statement.
Chisango and his colleagues’ acquittal brought a lot of questions after only Mukomazi was indicted for trial.
State prosecutor Witness Mabhadhi said the five had done nothing wrong while placing the entire blame on Mukomazi.
“The signed agreement between the City of Harare and Juluka was a nullity at law and the principal buyer, who had the duty to proceed by way of section 31 of PPDPA Act but chose to proceed by way of Section 34, attracted the criminal liability.
“Bright prospects of a conviction are there in respect of the principal buyer, that is how the State will proceed,” Mabhaudhi said.
