ZIMBABWE National Road Administration (Zinara) finance
director Simon Taranhike has been arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of
office and attempts to conceal corruption.
Sources close to the investigations said Taranhike released
1 800 litres of fuel to some members of the local media and abused the
parastatal’s petty cash.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi confirmed the arrest and said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission
(ZACC) was handling the matter.
“We can confirm that Simon Taranhike was arrested yesterday
(Monday), but he is currently with ZACC officers for further investigations,”
he said.
Sources said investigations were in progress. The latest
developments come amid reports that Taranhike had been sucked into a fuel
scandal that he reportedly intended to use to “grease media friends” and others
who were not connected to the parastatal.
According to the reports, a junior ZINARA employee stated
in his report that he was bullied into releasing 1 800 litres of fuel by
Taranhike.
At that time, Taranhike was not prosecuted, but was asked
to reimburse.
It was further alleged that an electronic mail sent by
Zinara administration manager Mr Peter Boterere to acting chief executive
officer Mathlene Mujokoro revealed that Taranhike ordered one Jaricha to issue
the 1 800 litres of fuel to an unnamed local journalist.
Last month, Zinara’s former acting chief executive officer
Ms Mathlene Mujokoro and former audit manager Mr Shadreck Matengabadza
resigned, while 19 employees were arrested for fraud cases involving more than
US$210 000.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel
Biggie Matiza has appointed a new board for the Zimbabwe National Road
Administration chaired by Engineer Michael Madanha to deal with the rot at the
parastatal.
The new board was appointed following the dissolution of
the Mr Wilfred Ramwi-led board last year, which was accused of covering up
corruption at the parastatal.
The board is also expected to implement recommendations of
the Grant Thornton audit report which unearthed serious corruption at the
parastatal.
Taranhike is not new to the criminal justice system.
He was once arrested for criminal abuse of office, together
with former executives, Precious Murove (director administration and human
resources), Shadreck Matengabadza (finance manager), Stephen Matute
(accountant) and Givemore Tendai Kufa (regional engineer).
They were accused of fraudulently engaging third party
companies to source foreign currency on the informal market on behalf of
Zinara.
However, the courts cleared them of the charges in May last
year. Herald
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