HWANGE Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) is demanding US$272
000 from former managing director Thomas Makore as restitution for alleged
shady payments made to him during his tumultuous four-year tenure at the
company, it has emerged.
This came after an internal audit revealed that Makore had
benefitted from monthly payments made to him without valid reasons throughout
the four years he was employed by the company.
HCCL was placed under reconstruction late last year. This
also follows a recent external audit by Ralph Bomment Greenacre & Reynolds
which revealed serious corporate governance rot and plunder of the company’s
finances on Makore’s watch.
Makore was suspended in March last year by the then HCCL
board led by Juliana Muskwe to pave way for the audit, but he immediately quit
his job before the probe could be completed.
Mines minister Winston Chitando, in a move largely seen as
aimed at blocking the audit, dissolved the board midway through the probe and
placed the company under reconstruction on the pretext that it was the only way
to set it on the path to recovery and profitability.
The internal audit revealed that Makore received huge
payments for his domestic workers on his monthly pay cheque, while at the same
time they would get separate monthly payments from the usual HCCL payroll.
Makore allegedly received substantial amounts of money in
advance payments, which he never paid back, according to an internal audit
report seen by NewsDay.
The company is also demanding repayments for an unsupported
“housing allowance” amounting to US$18 000 and an outstanding vehicle loan of
US$73 000. In addition, Makore got US$82 000 without any supporting documents.
“Following a request by management to verify the balances
due to the former managing director Stenjwa Thomas Makore who resigned on 23
May 2018, audit findings show that Mr Thomas Makore owes HCCL an amount of
US$271 841,99. This includes cash advances not recovered, allowances not
recovered, earnings without supporting documents and balance on a motor vehicle
loan. We recommend full recovery of the amount owed and that the company stop
any further payments to Makore,” the audit report read.
Cash advance payments, which have not been recovered to
date, amount to US$249 443,50, including a housing allowance valued at US$114
004,80.
Vehicle loan balances that Makore is expected to pay back
to the company is US$81 996, having accrued from February 2017 to May 2018.
Makore would also pay his domestic workers from the HCCL
account and allegedly prejudiced the company of US$17 869,50.
Vehicle loan balances and other allowances he got without
supporting documentation amount to US$72 872 and US$81 996, respectively.
Makore declined to comment, saying: “I have not seen the
report so, therefore, I cannot comment. If you want anything else you can speak
to my lawyer,” Makore said.
HCCL was placed under reconstruction in October 2018 after
it emerged the company had become technically insolvent after years of
corruption and mismanagement. Newsday
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