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Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Reporter
Two Air Zimbabwe bosses Grace Pfumbidzayi and Peter Chikumba, accused of defrauding the airline of millions of dollars in an insurance scam, have been granted US$3 000 bail each. But Pfumbidzayi (company secretary) remains in custody because she still has to make another bail application on another record in which she is jointly charged with former acting chief executive Innocent Mavhunga.
Only Chikumba (former chief executive officer) will, for now, be released.
The suspects are being charged with fraud and criminal abuse of duty as public officers. High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze freed Pfumbidzayi and Chikumba after proving that they were proper candidates for bail.
The court held that the magistrate who denied the suspects bail misdirected himself. Pfumbidzai and Chikumba were ordered to surrender their passports to the clerk of court and to report to the police three times a week.
They must not interfere with investigations and State witnesses.
The court also heard Mavhunga’s bail application and ruling has been deferred to Friday this week.
Allegations against Chikumba (59), Pfumbidzayi (49) and Mavhunga (53) arose from a forensic investigation carried out by a leading firm of auditors in Harare last year.
The audit report exposed possible manipulation of aviation insurance policies by past and present bosses, which could have prejudiced the state-run airline of millions of dollars between 2009 and 2013. The report was handed over to the then board chairman end of December and he took it to the police as per the recommendations.
Online Reporter