The parliamentary hearing into bribery allegations against
four members of the National Assembly started yesterday with the complainant,
Mr James Ross Goddard, exonerating Messrs Temba Mliswa and Anele Ndebele in his
testimony, but incriminating two other legislators from the committee.
The pair is being investigated alongside Cde Leonard
Chikomba and Mr Prince Sibanda by Parliament’s Privilege Committee chaired by
Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira on allegations of demanding a $400 000 bribe
from Mr Goddard for his company, JRG Pvt Ltd, to secure a coal mining contract
at Hwange.
They reportedly used their membership of the Mines and
Energy Portfolio Committee to solicit the bribe.
Those accused allegedly demanded the bribe at a meeting
held at JRG offices on November 15 last year, a day before the Mines and Energy
committee was scheduled to visit to investigate operations at Hwange Colliery.
Mr Goddard told the committee that he had been introduced
to the four by businessman Mr Shepherd Tundiya, who indicated that as members
of the Mines and Energy Committee, they could assist his company get the mining
contract.
Speaking during cross-examination by Mr Mliswa’s lawyer
Advocate Tawanda Zhuwarara, Mr Goddard said the Norton legislator had not made
any financial requests to him during the meeting and had left soon after the
meeting.
He added that Mr Ndebele also went and sat in his car after
the meeting while Mr Sibanda and Cde Chikomba remained behind where the request
for the “facilitation fee” was made through Mr Tundiya.
He said Cde Chikomba and Mr Sibanda had indicated that they
could not travel to Hwange without “something” to facilitate the deal.
“It (the issue of the facilitation fee) was raised by
Honourable Chikomba and Honourable Sibanda that we can’t go to Hwange without
something and it was Honourable Chikomba who was the most aggressive,” Mr
Goddard said.
He said Cde Chikomba later provided him with his personal
banking details where he could deposit half the amount while the other $200 000
would be paid when the contract had been secured.
Cde Chikomba, who is being represented by Mr Simon
Musapatika is however, denying the charges saying in his testimony Mr Goddard
had not provided any evidence that his client demanded the bribe.
He said the only issues his client discussed with Mr
Tundiya when they were outside when the meeting had ended concerned money he
was owed by the latter.
Mr Sibanda, who is being represented by Mr Freddy
Masarirewhu, is also denying the charges and said Mr Goddard had failed to
provide any evidence of his client demanding the bribe but was relying on
perceptions.
Mr Masarirewhu also queried why Mr Goddard had not set up a
trap to prove that the request for the bribe was genuine.
The hearing continues today. Herald
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