Source: Supa wants case heard at Con-Court | Daily News
FORMER Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira wants the Constitutional Court to hear his graft case arguing he was being persecuted over an administrative decision that saved NetOne.
Mandiwanzira appeared before Harare regional magistrate Elijah Makomo yesterday represented by Thembinkosi Magwaliba. He said he had the blessings of former president Robert Mugabe’s office in the transaction.
He is being charged with criminal abuse of office for corruptly engaging Megawatt for consultancy services rendered to NetOne Pvt Ltd and had argued that the charges were misplaced because the telecommunications company was not a procuring entity but the application was thrown out.
“I feel not prosecuted but persecuted as I am being hauled before the courts for doing the right thing. I feel horrible that I may actually be sent to jail for something which I did that was correct
“I actually contacted my principals through one-on-one meetings recorded by officials from then president’s office where the green light was given.”
Mandiwanzira said he had to seek authority to give information deliberated during Cabinet meetings when the deal was entered.
“I may have to get approval to testify, in camera, details of how the issue was handled,” he said. According to the State papers, Megawatt is jointly owned by Liu Xiadong and Blue Nightingale where Mandiwanzira is a director.
It is alleged that Mandiwanzira subsequently engaged Megawatt to review pricing made by Huawei without going to tender.
The court heard that Megawatt did the work it had been contracted for although there was no contract between the two entities.
“The engagement of Megawatt was on the basis that no payment would be made by the Government of Zimbabwe or NetOne for the services. The payment of $4 000 000 was a success-based fee recoverable from Huawei Technologies if it was found to have overpriced,” Mandiwanzira had argued.
“As at the date on which the procurement is alleged to have taken place, that is February 2015, NetOne was not bound to follow the procurement procedures set out in the Act and its regulations. It could therefore procure services without going to tender.”
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