Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister
Prisca Mupfumira, who appeared in court yesterday on corruption allegations
involving $95 million, spent another night in custody last night.
She is this morning expected to appear in court for her
bail ruling. She was arrested on Thursday by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission (ZACC) and is facing seven counts of criminal abuse of office.
During her initial court appearance yesterday, the
minister’s defence lawyers argued that their client did not benefit anything in
her personal capacity from all the alleged offences involving National Social
Security Authority (NSSA) funds.
The defence team, led by Mr Charles Chinyama, argued that
there was no evidence that the minister directed NSSA to make transactions with
Metbank as alleged. On Mupfumira’s second ministerial vehicle allegedly bought
with NSSA funds, Mr Chinyama argued that his client was not responsible for
vehicle allocation.
“She is not responsible for vehicle allocation and cannot
refuse what she is given by her employer,” he said.
On NSSA bailing out Metbank, Mr Chinyama said the
transactions predated minister’s appointment to the Public Service, Labour and
Social Welfare Minister, under which NSSA falls.
“The transactions were conducted when our client was not
yet the Minister of Social Welfare. Her only involvement was after her
appointment, and was of mediating in a dispute between NSSA and Metbank.
“Again, on NSSA purchasing properties from Metbank, there
is no way NSSA could have made the purchase without a resolution; NSSA is run
by a board. If there is a charge, it should be on NSSA for recklessness,” said
Mr Chinyama.
On the US$62 million Treasury Bills, Mr Chinyama said there
was no way NSSA could have taken verbal instructions and none of the
transactions benefited Minister Mupfumira.
In response, the State represented by Chief Prosecutor Mr
Michael Reza produced a certificate of further detention from the Prosecutor
General’s office, which he presented in reference to Section 32 of the Criminal
Procedure and Evidence Act where prosecutors may seek further detention of the
accused for 21 days due to the gravity of the natter.
He also said there was evidence and suspicious payments
from NSSA to Metbank, then to Minister Mupfumira’s company accounts.
“ZACC and police are struggling to trace (Minister)
Mupfumira’s transactions, she has hidden the money very well. There are,
however, five instances of NSSA transactions where the ‘payee’ is P. Mupfumira.
“The police have proof of payments from NSSA to Metbank and suspicious payments
to the accused company accounts.
“ZACC is still investigating the final destiny of these
amounts. There are two principal actors, the accused and Metbank. Metbank was in
dire straits and the accused directed NSSA to buy four properties at inflated
prices from Metbank and immediately, Metbank was fluid. “She clearly did that
to make Metbank fluid and she achieved it,” said Mr Reza.
Acting Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi rolled over the
matter to today for bail ruling. Herald
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