THE government has defended its intended procurement of
coronavirus supplies worth US$60 million from Drax Consult SAGL and Drax LL,
also known as Drax International, without going to tender.
This comes as the local
representative of the company — Delish Nguwaya — was denied bail and
remanded in custody to June 30 after his arrest last week. He is facing two
counts of fraud in connection with the deal that was later cancelled at the
instigation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Health minister Obadiah Moyo has also since been arrested
in connection with the matter and is out of custody on $50 000 bail.
Responding to
questions from parliamentarians last week, the leader of government business in
the august House and also Justice minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said normal tender
procedures were forgone because Covid-19 procurements were an emergency.
“Under normal circumstances, it was supposed to go through
the tender process, but because this is an emergency situation, there was no
need for a tender. It is an abnormal situation,” Ziyambi said.
He was, however, pressed by MDC-Alliance MP for Kambuzuma
Willias Madzimure to explain why the government was in a rush when the country’s
confirmed Covid-19 figures were relatively low.
“You are not an epidemiologist to know the seriousness of
the situation. We have a task force made up of experts who give us instructions
as well as the World Health Organisation,” Ziyambi said.
Allegations against Nguwaya are that he misrepresented to
the government that the two companies were capable of supplying drugs to the
country, although they were just consulting firms.
The court was told that sometime in 2019, Nguwaya allegedly
connived with one Illir Dedja — who is still at large — and tendered an
expression of interest in the supply of medicines through a US$20 million
facility under a company called Papi Pharma, which was turned down after a
vetting process by the relevant government departments.
Later, the Health ministry received another expression of
interest from Nguwaya for a similar US$20 million supply facility, but now
under a company called Drax Consult SAGL.
The letter was addressed to Health minister Moyo.
It is also alleged
that in the expression of interest documents, the accused persons
misrepresented that Drax Consult SAGL was a pharmaceutical company based in
Switzerland, whereas it was a consulting company with no experience in the
manufacture and supply of medicinal products.
Acting on the misrepresentation, the State alleges, Moyo
initiated a process through his then permanent secretary Agnes Mahomva, which
involved the Finance ministry, the Procurement Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) and
NatPharm.
The process culminated in a contract of supply of medicinal
products between NatPharm and Drax Consult SAGL.
It is also alleged
that in November 2019, Nguwaya presented himself before NatPharm managing
director Nancy Sifeku and introduced Dedja as the owner of Drax Consult SAGL.
On December 19, 2019, a written contract was eventually
agreed between Drax Consult SAGL and NatPharm, which Nguwaya signed as the
company’s local representative, with Dedja identified as the owner of the
company.
The State says Nguwaya prejudiced the nation, as government
officials acted on his misrepresentation to process the contract papers.
Further allegations are that after being successful in the
first encounter, Nguwaya tendered another expression of interest to supply
medicines worth US$40 million — using a slightly different name, Drax
International LLC.
Based on trust from the previous engagement, the government
allegedly entered into a contract with Drax International LLC, the court was
further told.
The misrepresentations are said to have come to light after
it was noted that the prices charged by Drax International LLC were far higher
than those prevailing on the market.
The government has since pulled the plug on both the US$20
million and US$40 million deals. Daily News
0 comments:
Post a Comment