The trial of former National Social Security Authority
(NSSA) general manager, Elizabeth Chitiga, on allegations of swindling the
organisation of $31 million has been set for next Monday.
Chitiga (59) is accused of defrauding NSSA’s pension fund
in a housing project scam. She is out on $1 000 bail.
The State alleges that Chitiga’s accomplice James Tirivavi,
who was a strategic executive assistant at NSSA, instructed National Building
Society (NBS) to carry out projects in Dzivarasekwa (Harare), Chikanga Extension
(Mutare), Shropshire (Gweru), Lot 834 and 835 (Zvishavane) and Elsmond
(Zvishavane) at a cost of $78 827 500, without following due process.
NBS is a subsidiary of NSSA.
The bank had been given a mandate by the pensions authority
to construct 10 000 low-cost housing units countrywide in September last year
and a team led by head of housing projects, Silas Mukono, had identified 14
possible projects out of which they selected five – Victoria Range in Masvingo,
Denver Township (Bulawayo), Mkoba (Gweru), Dulibadzimu (Beitbridge) and
Emganwini Phase 4 (Bulawayo). The value of the project was $80 991 200. This
was turned down by Tirivavi.
The State alleges on August 24 last year, in an effort to
regularise directives to NBS, Chitiga and Tirivavi connived and misrepresented
to the board investments committee that NBS required funding for five projects.
The board allegedly acted on the misrepresentation and
approved funding for the projects totalling $78 827 500 on the understanding
that due process had been done by both NSSA and NBS.
It is alleged that due diligence was done for only two of
the five projects and as a result Chitiga and Tirivavi’s actions potentially
prejudiced NSSA of $31 727 500. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment