Former Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo’s troubles
continue to mount this time under the radar of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission (Zacc) over a murky airport deal in which the Harare City Council is
said to have been fleeced of millions of dollars, it has been learnt.
Harare businessman Ken Sharpe was at the centre of the
investigation after the Harare City Council reportedly lodged a complaint with
Zacc over the way the deal for the construction of the Airport Road, which was
later completed by the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) was
structured.
“The Harare City Council has lodged a complaint with Zacc
and investigators, who include the corruption fighting institution’s lawyers,
are already on the ground sifting through masses of documents and evidence.
“Sharp was awarded a contract without going to tender by
Michael Mahachi, who was then heading a commission managing the affairs of the
city at the time. Mahachi had been appointed by Chombo, but there is no
evidence to show that the commission sat and approved the contract with Sharp
running into millions of dollars,” a source close to the matter said yesterday.
Zacc commissioner (investigations) Goodson Nguni said: “We
have received a complaint from Harare City Council and are dealing with it. By
next week, we should have full details regarding the matter. We are working
flat out on it,”
Insiders said the investigations have revealed that under
Mahachi’s instructions, council began transferring land and paid millions to
Sharp’s Augur Investments before work began.
“Council paid millions to Sharp’s Augur Investments even
before any equipment moved onto the site. The whole thing reeks of graft. Land
was also transferred to the contractor as part of the payment plan before
anything happened. Council lost a lot,” NewsDay Weekender heard.
In 2016, Zacc as well as the Auditor-General Mildred
Chiri’s office called for an investigation into the 20km project known as
Joshua Nkomo Expressway that audits indicated cost taxpayers and Harare
ratepayers up to eight times more than was recommended including vast tracts of
land with Chombo being the lead actor.
Initial reports indicated that the airport deal was awarded
to Augur Investments without going to tender. This involved the City of Harare
pledging 4 000 hectares of land to the company as part payment.
It has also emerged that Mahachi, was also Augur “project
manager” when he awarded the company the tender.
For his role as project manager, Mahachi was allegedly paid
close to $2 million. Newsday
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