BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE Helcraw Electrical managing director Farai Jere has been acquitted of fraudulently acquiring a smart meter tender worth US$3, 5 million.
He was acquitted together with Zesa engineers Leonard Chisina and Freeman Kuziva Chikonzo at the close of the trial yesterday.
In acquitting them, Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa said the State failed to establish essential elements of the charges.
Gofa said the State had alleged that the trio lied that there was a manufacturing plant of smart meters in the United Kingdom but failed to provide evidence of its existence.
She further ruled that all witnesses who testified were corroborating the accused’s evidence.
The magistrate said the State alleged that one engineer Mapipi was forced to sign a FAT test but during the oral evidence, but has denied being forced.
The report, according to the State, the report was fake, but one engineer Chuma said it was a correct record of what transpired in the UK.
She said even the investigating officer told the court that if he was told been told of what really transpired, he would not have wasted time probing the case.
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The State had alleged that Jere prejudiced ZESA about US$3,5 million in the smart meter tender scam and that the accused sold electricity meters using allegedly falsified documents.
