Former ICT minister Supa Mandiwanzira is back in court
today facing allegations of criminal abuse of office for appointing his
personal assistant to the board of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory
Authority (Potraz).
Mandiwanzira was initially brought to court facing two
counts of criminal abuse of office before the other count of engaging a South
African firm, Megawatt Company without due process was thrown out unopposed by
a High Court judge after the State failed to respond to the former minister’s
application for exception to the charges.
He appeared before deputy chief magistrate Elijah Makomo,
who postponed the matter to today for trial.
Allegations are that Mandiwanzira was appointed minister in
2014 and was entitled to engage a personal assistant and driver of his own
choice. In March 2015, Mandiwanzira brought Tawanda Chinembiri, who was
employed at AB Communications as head of finance and business development as
his personal assistant.
It is alleged on February 3, 2016, Mandiwanzira appointed
Chinembiri to be the ministry’s representative and would sit on both Potraz and
Universal Services Fund board meetings. Chinembiri allegedly received $35 000
in board allowances.
It is the State’s case that Mandiwanzira acted contrary to
his duties as a public officer. Michael Chakandida appeared for the State.
Newsday
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