BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
FORMER Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) board chairperson Albert Mugabe appeared in court yesterday facing criminal abuse of office allegations after he allegedly misrepresented to a local bank that the Zinara board had agreed to offset a $300 000 mortgage to its former chief executive Nancy Chamisa-Masiyiwa.
Mugabe (41) was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro, who remanded him to April 11 on $300 bail.
The complainant is Wilfred Ramwi, Zinara acting board chairperson.
The prosecution said on March 30, 2017, Zinara’s six-member human resources committee unanimously resolved to recommend to the board to approve a housing loan for Chamisa-Masiyiwa not exceeding $300 000 with CBZ Bank.
On April 5, 2017, Mugabe wrote a letter of undertaking for the mortgage, advising that the Zinara board had authorised Chamisa-Masiyiwa to get the loan and that the parastatal undertook to pay off the loan if her contract expires before the loan is expunged, which was false.
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On April 6, 2017, Mugabe wrote another letter to CBZ Bank advising that the Zinara board had agreed to off-set the $300 000 mortgage in the event that Chamisa-Masiyiwa accrued arrears or if her contract of employment is terminated, which was also not true.
On April 20, 2017, CBZ Bank approved the $300 000 mortgage loan allegedly on the strength of the false letters.
The State alleged Mugabe acted contrary or inconsistent with his duties as a public officer by authoring and tendering the letters without board approval for the purpose of showing favour to the former CEO.
Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.