THE trial of Umguza Rural District Council chief executive officer Collen Moyo over charges of abusing his position and tampering with the local authority’s tender procedures to award a $1,4 million road construction tender to a firm of his choice has been deferred to February 20.
Report by Richard Muponde The trial was supposed to kick off at the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday, but was postponed after the State indicated that it was not yet ready.
Moyo has not been asked to plead to the charges and is out of custody on $1 000 bail.
It is the State’s case that sometime in 2010, the Zimbabwe National Road Authority granted Umguza Rural District Council $1,6 million for the reconstruction of a 12km stretch of Ilitshe Road and the construction of a 60m bridge across Umguza River.
Moyo allegedly unlawfully facilitated the release of funds to Notify Enterprises before the company had won the tender and later raised false claims certifying that the project had been completed.
When the project was put to tender and Moyo realised that the scam was going to be exposed, he allegedly abused his powers as chief executive officer and awarded the tender to Notify Enterprises in retrospect.
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The contractor was allegedly paid a total of $1 455 650, but no bridge was constructed.