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Copac boss accused of tender scam

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Copac national co-ordinator Gift Marunda has been formally charged with criminal abuse of office.

CONSTITUTIONAL Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) national co-ordinator Gift Marunda has been formally charged with criminal abuse of office after he allegedly illegally awarded a contract for printing stationery for the Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference to a local company.Report by Charles Laiton, Senior Court Reporter

Marunda (46) was not asked to plead to the charge when he appeared before Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma last Friday. Public prosecutor Tungamirai Chakurira told the court that sometime in August this year, Marunda awarded African Legend Investment a contract to supply Copac with all the conference’s stationery requirements at a cost of $8 740.

According to the State papers, materials sought by Marunda without approval from the State Procurement Board (SPB) included Copac-branded badges, writing pads, folders, pens and lanyards.

The State also alleged that Marunda contracted the same company to print and supply 1 200 copies of the Copac draft constitution at a cost of $13 200. It is alleged on August 1, full payment for the required services was done into African Legend Investment’s bank account, but the material had not yet been delivered. On September 25, another deposit was again made into African Legend Investment’s account, bringing the total payments to $18 722.

Police investigations revealed that the company was not listed on the SPB’s list of approved dealers and did not have a printing machine.

Marunda was remanded to October 19 on $500 bail.