HARARE – Douglas Tapfuma, a top aide of President Emmerson Mnangagwa facing corruption charges, on Thursday implicated Chief Cabinet Secretary Misheck Sibanda.
Prosecutors say Tapfuma, while working as Director of State Residences in the Office of the President and Cabinet, imported as many as 100 personal vehicles without paying customs duties after misrepresenting that they were for the President’s Office.
Most of the vehicles were sold at car sales around Harare, it is alleged.
But while applying for bail at the High Court on Thursday, Tapfuma, now Director of Policy Implementation in the Office of the President and Cabinet, said if any corruption took place, Sibanda was most culpable.
Sibanda, according to Tapfuma, signed and authorised the issuance of the duty-free certificates for the vehicles. He also disputes the number of vehicles he allegedly imported.
“The applications for duty free certificates were made to his superior (Sibanda) and were approved. It was up to his superior to either reject or accept them and in this case they were approved meaning to say the superior was satisfied that everything was above board,” Tapfuma’s lawyer Shelliton Mahuni told Justice Philda Muzofa at the Harare High Court.
“The State is not alleging that he (Tapfuma) forged the signatures and presented them to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), but they were authorised by his superior.”
Prosecutor Editor Mavuto, who was assisted by Andrew Kumire, urged the court to dismiss Tapfuma’s bail application saying the magistrate was correct in ordering his detention given the seriousness of the offence and the likelihood of a custodial sentence in the event of a conviction.
Mahuni said Tapfuma had become aware of the allegations since December last year – but had not left the country.
“The State says it has overwhelming evidence against he accused but it has not placed any evidence to support the claim. It is not logical that an individual would import over 75 vehicles of the same make. For what reason? The State started investigating the case in December 2018, if he wanted to leave he would have done so long ago but he did not because he is not a fugitive,” said Mahuni.
Justice Muzofa reserved judgement on Tapfuma’s bail application.
Tapfuma, who is charged with criminal abuse of office, allegedly imported seven personal vehicles from South Africa using the President’s Office. Prosecutors say they are building evidence which will show the actual number of vehicles imported under the same terms was closer to 100.
Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa remanded him to August 29 after refusing him bail. Prosecutor George Manokore said on the next court date, the State will provide Tapfuma with a trial date.
