Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) board chairman Callisto
Mazorodze Jokonya yesterday appeared in court on allegations of renewing an
employee’s contract without following due process.
He was facing two counts of abuse of duty as a public
officer when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.
He was granted $5 000 bail. As part of his bail conditions,
Jokonya was ordered not to attend any Zimra board meetings or visit Zimra
premises.
Jokonya was also ordered to surrender his passport with the
clerk of court, report once every Friday at Norton Police Station, to reside at
his given address and not to interfere with State witnesses.
The matter was deferred to September 18 for routine remand.
Prosecutor Mrs Francesca Mukumbiri told the court that
during the period from May 24 to June 27 this year, at the Zimra offices in
Harare, Jokonya allegedly abused his duty by showing favour to Happier
Kuzvinzwa when he caused the renewal of his contract of employment as
commissioner customs and excise which was expiring on May 31.
It is the State’s case that pursuant to his corrupt act and
taking advantage of his position as board chairman of Zimra, Jokonya wrote a
letter dated May 24 to Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor
Mthuli Ncube — who is the appointing authority — claiming he had made due
consultations with all Zimra board members and they had agreed that Kuzvinzwa’s
contract be renewed for another four year-term.
It is the State’s case that on May 28 and acting on the
misrepresentation, Minister Ncube approved the contract renewal.
Armed with the approval from the minister, Jokonya
instructed the Commissioner-General of Zimra, Ms Faith Mazani, to prepare a
contract of employment for Kuzvinzwa.
Ms Mazani allegedly refused to comply since there was no
board resolution to that effect.
The court heard that having failed to convince Mazani,
Jokonya got a contract of employment which he countersigned and was witnessed
by external lawyers.
Ordinarily, such contracts are signed by the
Commissioner-General and witnessed by human resources director or chairperson
of human resources committee.
On the second count, the court heard that on June 12,
Jokonya allegedly convened a board meeting in an effort to ratify his actions
of recommending the renewal of Kuzvinzwa’s contract of employment without a
board resolution.
During the board meeting, some members allegedly suggested
that legal opinion be sought to clarify on how to proceed since the minister
had already approved basing on the accused’s sole recommendation.
Jokonya then allegedly abused or took advantage of his
office as Zimra board chairperson by personally procuring consultancy service
from Caleb Mucheche Partners Law
Chambers without going through the standard procedure of using the procurement
management unit.
His actions, the State alleges, were meant to further his
personal interest and to cover up his sole recommendation of renewing Kuzvinzwa
’employment contract without obtaining a board resolution.
Meanwhile, Chitungwiza Town Council director of works David
Duma appeared in the same court on allegations of allocating a stand to
Metalhil Investments (Pvt) Ltd without following due procedure as required at
law.
Duma was facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a
public officer when he appeared before Mrs Mugwagwa.
He was granted $500 bail. As part of his bail conditions,
Duma was ordered to report once every Friday at ZRP Norton and to surrender his
passport with the Clerk of Court.
The matter was deferred to September 18 for routine remand.
Duma was represented by Mr Abisha Muzvaba of Hamunakwadi and Muzvaba Law
Chambers. Herald
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